Ashes to Ashes
by Hellie Ace
Summary: Omegaverse, USUK. On the brink of extinction, most human civilians have been reduced to flesh-eating monsters. The zombie plague has decimated most, but as the US government collapses, Alfred F. Jones finds himself alone in the new hellish world. That is, until he meets an Omega named Arthur Kirkland, who claims to lead the most powerful human faction left alive: the CIA.
1. Chapter 1

**Ashes to Ashes**

**By Hellie Ace**

**Warnings:** Omegaverse, violence, gore, swearing, and sexual content.

**Summary:** Omegaverse, Usuk. On the brink of extinction, most human civilians have been reduced to flesh-eating monsters. The zombie plague has decimated most, but as the US government collapses, Alfred F. Jones finds himself alone in the new hellish world. That is, until he meets an Omega named Arthur Kirkland, who claims to lead the most powerful human faction left alive: the CIA.

**A/N:** Based a bit on the Call of Duty: Zombies universe. However, you don't need to play the game to understand anything. It's purely motivational. And some of the environments are borrowed from the games, though they're also inspirational.

**Chapter 1**

It had come so unexpectedly. Three massive explosions that had torn the entire planet asunder, leaving fire and brimstone across so much of the infected landscape. Alfred could remember cowering inside a crumpled fallout shelter when he felt the entire Earth shake to its very core. The Alpha had hidden down there months ago. His neighbors had told him to hide, and not come back out until they returned. A stranger had found their quiet town, stumbling in the zombie plague sweltering his skin. They'd gone to take care of the problem.

Only they hadn't returned.

He didn't dare peek his head above the surface until his shriveled stomach had finally won over, and the man knew he needed food to live another day. It had taken weeks of burning through dried rations and specially sanitized water to drive Alfred from his hole. He just didn't want to end up like his family.

What he saw though had taken his breath away and was impossible to fully comprehend. Twisters born of raging winds and unquenching fires slashed across the burnt earth. Houses were leveled or hollow, ashen husks of their former selves. The shadows of creatures and people alike had been scarred black into the ground, their silhouettes the only testament to their former existence. Even the sky seemed destroyed. The sun was gone, blotted out save for a few futile rays by enormous clouds of sulfur and dust.

Smoke lingered around Alfred's feet as he took his first step into this new world of fire and emptiness. The silence under the whirl of the poisoned wind was almost deafening, and Alfred couldn't help the tears that fell.

This world... This place was Hell on Earth.

There was nothing across the barren world as far as he could see. Only a few houses of his old neighborhood even stood, and most didn't look as if that fact would last long. But he had to do something. He didn't know where there would be food in a place like this, or even water.

But the first place he was drawn too was no more than a few feet from the shelter he'd hid himself away in. Standing before his own home, gazing up at the broken windows and collapsed roof, gave him chills. His parents and brother were long gone, having succombed to the zombie infection and gone mad long ago. He'd lived alone in the home with the help of friendly neighbors for quite some time. And while he was grateful he hadn't gone on that vacation to Virginia so many years ago where his family had been infected, Alfred still missed them.

Now though, not even the neighbors that had cared for him remained, it seemed. It was too quiet for living things to be here. He'd subconsciously known it the moment he stepped into the home, and saw the absolute destruction that the explosion days ago had caused. No one could have survived this.

Sinking to his knees, Alfred simply gazed down at the sooty floor with teary eyes. What was there really left for him to do? His family was gone, his neighbors were gone, the world was in shambles, the zombie infection so rampant that world governments were being toppled by it. And now this. Alfred wasn't even sure where the explosion had originated from, but its aftershock had leveled everything he still cared about.

There had always been some foolish hope that their town could have lived in peace. Everyone had talked about it. The zombie infection hadn't reached them in decades, and maybe it never would. The town had lived in peace since Alfred had been born, after all. No one bothered them out here, in the middle-of-nowhere, USA. But the havoc all around brought that ridiculous fantasy crashing down on the young survivor like the collapsed roof above him.

It was only upon hearing an unfamiliar noise that Alfred startled from his mental cocoon. Shaking like a frightened rabbit, he made his way to the nearest window - or what had once been a window. Now it was just a tattered hole in the wall with shards of jagged glass lining the sill

Nothing stirred outside though. But he kept hearing that noise. It was loud, explosive and came in rattling bursts that echoed through the cul-de-sac. It frightened Alfred, and just as he made to retreat from the shattered window, a figure rushed past the opening. Alfred couldn't help the startled scream he loosed. He scrambled back from the window, slipping and landing with a hard thud.

Heart pounding and eyes wide, the survivor darted his gaze about, terrified of whatever that thing was and the sound it kept making. The thunder of the noise kept coming louder and louder, closer as it shook the air and more frequent than ever. It was like it was coming from everywhere, and Alfred shook in such palpable fear that he curled up, back to the wall.

It grew so loud, assaulting his ears and making him cry out. He suddenly bolted up trying to get away from the sound. And he barreled right into something - or someone, judging by the startled noise that was was made. But Alfred was too panicked to notice as he crashed to the floor. He heard something metal skitter across the cracked tiles, halting as it grazed his fingers. His blue gaze alighted on the object: a gun.

His first instinct was to grab it, suddenly swinging it around. The sharp crack of the gun against something solid and a loud yelp startled him though. Scrambling back, gun clutched to his chest as he gasped and panted in fear.

Laying on the ground, moaning in pain was a slight man in a polished black suit. His hair was shaggy and bright blond, though Alfred could see streaks of blood dimming his locks. And damn, did he smell amazing, Alfred realized. It wasn't like cologne, or any kind of perfume. Even with the scent of soot and gunpowder in the air, Alfred could still scent that underlying pheromone that instinctively told him the man was an Omega.

It was only upon shaking that fact off and further inspection, that he found the man's attire wasn't as spotless as he'd assumed. It was torn in a few places, and dust grimed what Alfred assumed had once been a very expensive and custom-made suit. But what really frightened the younger survivor was the fact the man had a backpack that had spilled open beside him upon falling.

Guns, ordinances, ammunitions and radios were strewn about him, the bullets still rolling across the tile. The man was practically a walking armory, or he had been before getting bowled over by Alfred.

Alfred was frozen, hands shaking so badly he was almost scared he might set off the gun. It didn't stop him from keeping it held close though. If the man woke up and was angry, Alfred was not about to be caught without a weapon, especially seeing the firepower spilled across the floor. There were guns Alfred had never imagined in all his sheltered life. Of course he'd seen the old gunslinger movies his parents had watched as kids, but the DVDs were very mild. Nothing more than a flash off long-barreled revolvers, and the occasional police-issued handgun. These were very different. They had long bodies and stocks, huge magazines and strange barrels. They looked like something out of a dystopian nightmare. Who would have such things? This man meant trouble, and Alfred's gut knew it by the way it twisted up.

As if on cue, the man shifted, getting his arms under him to lift himself up. Blinking in confusion, the man quickly alighted his gaze on Alfred. But those eyes stole Alfred's breath away. Alfred had never seen eyes quite like that. His irises were bright emerald, like green-glass lanterns. They were entirely captivating, a perfect image of those little fires in such lamps.

Alfred didn't exactly get much of a chance to admire those incredible emerald orbs, since the man had a gun in hand before Alfred could blink.

"Drop it!" he shouted, and Alfred marvelled at the strange way the man talked. It was like his words were drawled in some kind of slower, thicker tone. He had know idea what the man meant, but the accent was intriguing. And his scent just about dazed Alfred into stupidity.

When the gun was nearly shoved in his face, Alfred cried out, clutching his small handgun closer in fear. The massive weapon in the strange man's hand was terrifying to stare down the long barrel of. He whimpered pathetically, pleading on a choked sob.

"Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run into you! Please, get that away from me!"

"Drop the goddamn gun, kid!" the Omega shouted again, ramming the barrel of his gun into Alfred's chest. Alfred instantly dropped his small sidearm, sobbing in terror. How the hell was this happening to him? What even was happening to him? This man had come out of nowhere, and now was pointing a huge assault rifle at him, the barrel jabbing into his collar bone.

"Now back up!" the man ordered. Alfred obeyed without question, scared for his life. He scrambled back until he was well out of range of the handgun and his back mashed against the wall.

"Please! I'm sorry, what did I do?"

"Nothing yet, kid. It had better stay that way," said the other blond, lowering the gun and letting it rest by his side. He went on his knees, grabbing Alfred's chin. Alfred whimpered, but was frozen in sheer terror. The man scrutinized his face, pulling at his eyelids, tugging on his lip to see his gums, even patting the survivor down for weapons.

"You're clean, civilian," the man grumbled. "First I've seen here."

"First? Y-you mean, there's no one else?" Alfred knew the truth, but it was so hard to admit. The confirmation from this stranger left his heart plummeting at the staggering reality. Everyone really was gone. It was just him and this aggressive man in his suit.

"Just the freaks in their hazmats," the man grunted, clearly not amused by whoever these people were.

"Hazmat?" Alfred parroted, the word foreign to him.

"Hazardous material," the Omega explained, looking at Alfred skeptically. Alfred felt childish under his gaze, like the man was judging him for his ignorance. He tried to change the subject, hoping he could avoid looking like a fool. it was even worse knowing the man was an Omega. The last he could do was not blather and cry anymore as an Alpha. He'd already broken down and cried in front of a total stranger, and his pride was rather sore.

"So who are you even?"

"Agent Arthur Kirkland, CIA."

"What! Why is the CIA here?" Alfred babbled in shock.

"We were looking for survivors, but the damn CDC showed up and opened fire on us."

"The Center for Disease Control?"

Arthur simply nodded.

"Why would they attack you though? Don't you all work for the government?"

"Kid, what rock have you been living under? It's survival of the fittest. The government is disbanded. The armed forces and the alphabets split."

Alfred was entirely dumbfounded. His neighbors had never spoken of such things. They'd always told him that the US would never fall. Weaker nations and unstable governments fell to the zombie plague, not world superpowers. And what the hell did he mean by alphabets? It was just such a ludicrous idea that Alfred just couldn't believe it. Whoever heard of such a thing? This man had to be lying to him. He wasn't trustworthy to begin with, what with his war weapons and threats.

"I don't believe you!"

Arthur scoffed coldly, the sneer on his visage was twisted in utter contempt.

"Look around you, kid! What do you see? This is the new world, and you'd better get used to it. Denying it is going to get you killed. Are you interested in dying? I've got plenty of cures for that ailment."

"No!" Alfred instantly amended, waving his hands as if he could fend off death. "I don't want to die! But this is insanity!"

"It's reality, kid," Arthur corrected, starting to look rather bored with the conversation. It made Alfred nervous, figuring that if Arthur didn't see a need for him, even if it was just blathering, the younger wouldn't be around much longer. The man had yet to put down his assault rifle, after all.

The sound of gunshots suddenly stole Arthur's attention. He tensed up, bringing his gun to his shoulder, the stock eased against the trained muscle as he peeked around the wall. A volley of bullets struck the wall, and Arthur ducked back around. His eyes were narrowed in a ferocity that frightened the survivor still on the floor. It was like the man had changed modes entirely, and watching him come back around the corner to fire the assault rifle was strange and terrifying.

Alfred had never seen men trained like that. Arthur was a whole other breed, a kind that knew killing and knew how to do it well. The cries of pain and ceasefire after Arthur had emptied a load of bullets into whoever was attacking made that very obvious. He felt sickened, thinking of the poor soul that had just fallen victim to this supposed CIA agent.

"Did- did you just kill someone?" Alfred asked, shaking like a leaf. He flinched when Arthur glared back at him.

"No. I just made him a cup of tea and asked him to dinner," he growled sarcastically. Alfred made the stupid move of cocking his head in confusion. It just seemed to piss the Omega off.

"Of course I killed him! Are you that stupid?" Arthur growled.

"No!" the terrified Alpha protested. "B-but, you could have just knocked him out! There's no need to kill!"

Arthur paused, lowering his gun. He looked solemn for a moment, his emerald gaze flicking out to the hellscape in the street.

"No need to kill, huh?"

"My dad always told me that killing is wrong. That that's the reason the world was so messed up. People were being so violent and hurting one another."

Arthur kept silent as he removed the gun's magazine and checked the bullet count. Slotting it back in, Alfred was surprised to hear the sound the Omega made. At first he thought it might have been a sob, but he was quick to understand as the man's shoulders began to shake. The sound was unmistakable; Arthur was laughing.

He had to lean against the wall to keep from falling over as he practically howled in sick amusement. This kid, who couldn't have been more than eighteen or nineteen, was beyond sheltered. Killing was what broke the world? No. Killing was what had kept the Omega and his elite team alive all these years. What had destroyed the Earth had been corrupt governments, twisted science, a zombie plague, nuclear fallout and mass lies spewed to the ignorant. Killing had saved the few survivors.

"Don't delude yourself. I told you, denial gets you killed."

"But it's true!"

Arthur whirled, teeth barred as he marched up to Alfred. He grabbed him by the collar, easily hoisting him off his feet. The Alpha was both surprised and terrified. The man looked so slight, but every inch of him had to be pure muscle to have this kind of strength.

"Yeah, and where has your supposed truth gotten you? You're alone, in some ramshackle house, crying like a baby! You think the CDC would have listened to your bullshit?"

Alfred simply quivered, too choked in fear to answer. Arthur gave him a rough shake.

"They wouldn't, kid, believe me. I just saved your life by listening to all this drivel instead of popping a cap in your head. You've been fed a load of bullshit if you think my killing someone out for my life is what caused all of this. Get it together!"

"I'm sorry," Alfred tried to amend, putting his hands up in a universal sign of surrender. Arthur dropped him, stepping back as he landed on his ass rather ungracefully.

A bombardment of shots rattled the house again, a few sailing through the open window, sending rubble showering on Alfred's back. He instantly scrambled to Arthur, grabbing the man to haul himself up. The Omega sneered, seeing the kid shake and quiver like a rabbit, but didn't protest to be his handicap as he stumbled to his feet.

In all their scuffling and movement, the gun Alfred had once been clutching was now bumped against Arthur's boot. He knelt to pick it up before shoving it rather roughly at the Alpha.

"You got a name, kid?"

"A-Alfred. Alfred F. Jones... sir," Alfred said with a little nod.

"That's better. Now take that gun, and follow me if you want to live. Understand?"

"Y-yes, sir!" Alfred agreed, clutching the gun close.

"Do you know how to shoot?" But the Alpha just shook his head to mean _no._ Arthur grimaced, but shouldered his assault rifle to correct Alfred's hand position.

"Hold it like this, arms out when you want to shoot. Don't lock your elbows though. Look down this sight marker, and make sure your target lines up with that, alright? Just squeeze the trigger to shoot. It's not complicated, and this gun shouldn't give you much recoil. Just be ready for it to jerk a bit." He clapped Alfred's shoulder, not sure there was much more to explain.

Arthur stepped back, and unclasped his gun. Bringing the assault rifle to level, he pressed himself against the wall, peaking around it. His trained eyes scanned for movement and cover. Alighting on a tall wall, albeit crumbling, he knew that would be the easiest spot to make it to with Alfred in tow.

"Ready?"

"No," Alfred simpered.

"Too bad," was all he said before bolting. Startled, Alfred nearly jumped out of his skin seeing Arthur vanish around the corner. He panicked, chest tightening as he scrambled after. Just about tripping and crying his way to the wall Arthur was firing from behind, he crashed against it upon arrival. Leaning against the wall, he panted, needing its support to keep his trembling legs steady. His knees threatened to buckle as the terrified Alpha squeezed his eyes shut, listening to the deafening rattle of Arthur's assault rifle.

"I can't do this!" he cried out as Arthur finally stopped, having eliminated two CDC agents across the street behind a broken down car. The Omega scoffed, and shoved Alfred against the wall.

"Listen to me, kid! You _can _do this. Just stay close to me. I won't let you die." Arthur swore his vow so fiercely, that Alfred actually found himself believing it. Despite being a total mess, disheveled and cheeks tear-stained, he wanted to put his faith in this man. He gave the man a nod to assure him that he'd heard.

The emerald-eyed man released his collar with a nod of his own.

Looking out over the wall, he could see the telltale shuffling of feet from behind another vehicle. Crouching down, Arthur crept to the edge of the wall, nearly on his belly as he waited.

"Just watch my back, kid. Don't hesitate to shoot."

"Yes, sir," Alfred agreed, now having to peel his gaze away from the man. But it was beyond difficult now that the Alpha had a moment to breathe. The other's Omega scent was strong from the exertion and perspiration, and Alfred hadn't failed to notice the way the suit accentuated every inch of all that lean muscle. He could see the taut muscles in his back and thighs as he stayed prone, waiting for his victim like the apex predator he was.

"I can feel you staring, kid. When I said watch my back, I didn't mean it literally," Arthur growled back. If this kid got him shot in the back because he couldn't keep his eyes off him, Arthur was not going to be amused.

"S-sorry!" Alfred flushed at being caught, and quickly averted his gaze. His watery blue eyes scanned around, finally alighting on what had once been his old home. It looked forlorn and abandoned as Alfred gazed out at it. The shutters and windows had been destroyed, front door flung wide open and bent on its hinges. The paint was peeled back, and holes had been blasted through it. It didn't even look like a home anymore.

"C'mon, kid. We're moving. I can't get a decent shot from this angle."

Turning back, Arthur was gone, dashing for the next crumpled house to take cover in. Alfred gave his house one last long look before he swallowed hard. He edged to the end of the wall, getting ready to sprint when he saw a flicker of movement.

Arthur was taking shots at the CDC agent behind the car, exchanging close calls as bullets sailed past each of them. He was entirely oblivious to the woman creeping up behind him, her movements muffled by the blast of a shotgun and the rattle of the CIA agent's assault rifle.

Alfred froze. The gun in his hand entirely slipped his mind as he watched the woman edge closer and closer, a massive combat knife in hand. It was only as she raised the blade to plunge in Arthur's back did the Alpha take action.

As if by instinct, the blue-eyed man raised the gun to level. The woman's head lined up with the sights just as Arthur felt his hackles rise, and whirled around. He brought his arms up to protect himself, but found there was no need as she suddenly dropped dead in front of him.

In shock, Arthur saw the entrance wound on her temple, and turned to see Alfred. He was breathing hard, his chest laboring for air as the gun smoked in his hands. The Alpha was just as dazed, his eyes wide and mind brimming with confusion. Had he- had he just killed someone? With a gun? To protect some stranger Omega he knew nothing about?

The Alpha suddenly dropped to his knees, retching violently as the reality set in. He'd just murdered, in cold blood. But Arthur was suddenly there, patting his back as he cried miserably.

"First kill is always the hardest to stomach. It won't even faze you one day," he assured before reloading his weapon.

"That's disgusting," Alfred snarled, angry and nauseous. "You're a monster!" he shouted after the burst of gunshot Arthur volleyed off, bringing down the last of the CDC agents. He glanced down at Alfred, and shrugged.

"What's your point?"

Alfred was stunned. What could he say to that? The man didn't care? Wasn't even remotely affected by the fact he was taking lives so violently?

"M-my point?" the Alpha stammered, suddenly gripping for his gun.

"You're the one stuttering, kid, not me," Arthur quipped as he leaned back on the wall. His aloof stance infuriated Alfred, and he found himself pointing the gun at the Omega. The sights were trained directly between his eyes. The emerald-eyed man scoffed.

"Put that down before you hurt yourself."

"No."

Arthur's gaze narrowed, but he said nothing.

"I should get rid of you! You're part of the problem! The reason this Earth suffers!" Alfred screamed, angry at this Omega, but more irate with himself.

"'He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster.'"

"Wha- what?" Alfred paused, finding his grip on the firearm waning.

"Kill me, and what does that make you?"

"I- I don't know."

"A killer. You'd be no better than I. You might as well turn that gun on yourself if in your rage, all you can find is the urge to pull the trigger."

"I don't want to be like you," Alfred whimpered, lowering the gun.

"You don't have much of a choice," Arthur said with a shrug before turning his back on the blue-eyed Alpha. "Follow me, if you want to live. If not, that gun is yours to keep. But I advise saving the last round for your own demise. Once you realize this is the only path, I think you'll want it blow your brains out with it."

That said, Arthur leaned his weapon up on his shoulder, and began to walk away. He vanished among the rubble, a black shadow in a bleak world.

Alfred remained where he was, he legs refusing to budge. He looked down at the gun, turning it over in his hand. The sleek metal felt strange in his palm, and it was repulsive to the Alpha. But he knew it to be a lifeline. His survival depended on the weapon, and the Omega ahead of him. There was nothing left out here. He was alone, but he didn't have to be.

"Wait!" he shouted, scrabbling around the debris to catch up to Arthur's retreating back. He pelted after him, but slid to a halt as a multitude of guns were suddenly pointed at him. A large convoy of sable SUVs formed a half circle around what Alfred could only assume was what Arthur had called the CIA. There were also a pair of tankers and a couple semi trucks, but Alfred ignored them to gawk at the agents. Each one of them was armed to the teeth, dressed in mismatched outfits from tailored suits like Arthur's, to camouflage, to scraps of flak jackets and shin guards. The massive weapons they brandished looked like something out of those army documentaries his father had. Or, at least, Alfred assumed so. They had been forbidden from his viewing, seeing as how his father had always preached that peace would keep them safe, not guns.

"Relax, boys. He's with me," Arthur cooed smugly, patting one of the other agent's shoulder. The man was extremely tall, and built like a bull. His dusty brown hair was shaggy and untamed, but his jade eyes were narrowed in trained suspicion. The man looked deadly, and Alfred swallowed the lump in his throat as the group lowered their weapons. In fact, every last one of them looked like a trained killer. Most were smeared in blood and gunpowder, and Alfred crinkled his nose at the overwhelming Alpha scents wafting off the vast majority of them. There were even a few women brandishing light machine guns, though they looked like they could kill Alfred just as efficiently as the men.

"Pardon, they're very protective of me," Arthur explained, leaning up against one of the SUVs. "Let me explain, since I only gave you a tiny bit of information. Alfred, my name is Arthur Kirkland, leader of the mobile CIA faction, and these are my fellow agents. We patrol what remains of this once great nation, searching for fuel, resources, and survivors until we find a zombie free zone to establish order once again. We may be the smallest faction on this side of the world, but we are the fiercest and most elite. And I extend you this gracious offer: join us."

"M-me?"

"Yes, _you._ That was a remarkable shot back there, and I owe you my life for it. Join us, or you can die out here alone. Your choice. This is a one time offer." The CIA agents raised their guns again, waiting for Alfred's answer.

Swallowing nervously, Alfred made the single most important decision of his life.

"I- I accept."

Arthur grinned wickedly, canines bared in smug triumph.

"Then welcome to the CIA, agent Jones."

**A/N:** Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the rest of 'Ashes to Ashes'! :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter 2**

**By Hellie Ace**

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**Warnings: Omegaverse, violence, gore, swearing, and sexual content.**

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**Reviews:**

**The New Taisho Woman: Haha, new twist on an old plot, huh? :P Thanks, hon!**

**Ahro: Lady! I love you! *huggles* Gosh, you're amazing!**

**Blind Squirrel: Glad I could bring you some entertainment!**

**J-J-Anime-Rocks: Damn skippy he is :3**

**DarkFenrir: Stay tuned, you shall soon find out, my friend!**

**Lunar Iris: Hehehe, he just gets sexier and sexier, doesn't he? xD Haha, I could totes see Mobster!Artie!**

** : Don't worry, Artie will toughen that runt up!**

**Butternugget: thaaaaaaaaaaank youuuuuuuuuuuuuu :3**

**DaifukuBun: Awwwwww Thank you!**

**Guest: Eeee, sure thang!**

**BlackCat: Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, I was going back and forth playing fallout and CoD right before I started this xD heheh, thank you!**

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**Chapter 2**

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"Alright, everyone knows the drill," Arthur announced, waving his free hand to disperse the crowd. "Antonio, take Romano and Lili to scavenge the bodies. Ivan, find their vehicles and siphon the tanks. This was a scouting party, I'm sure of it. They'll have vehicles nearby, and hopefully with fuel left if they planned a return trip."

Antonio, the large man Arthur had patted the shoulder of, nodded. He nudged a shorter brunet off to the side, bowing a bit to whisper in his ear. The shorter growled, swatting at Antonio, who simply grinned. A young girl in a thick flak jacket followed after, her short, golden hair bobbing as she jogged to catch up to her long-legged associates.

Another Alpha, this one taller than all the others and with silvery-white hair, went the opposite direction. He passed by Alfred pausing to give him a quick once over with his startling violet eyes. The man had a tattered white undershirt on, stained in motor oil and blood. His camo pants were also smeared in oil and grease, and Alfred assumed him to be some kind of mechanic.

Arthur watched with an unreadable expression before barking orders at the rest of the agents.

"Quit gawking. I know it's strange to see clean clothes and a scrawny new kid, but you all have jobs. Scout around, make sure there are no survivors. I want every body double-tapped to make sure they're plenty dead. CDC is not going to be happy about this, so we need to move soon."

The rest of the agents seemed to disperse, going in various directions and engaging in low chatter. Alfred thought it all chaotic, so many bodies and whispers and strange attire. Some went to their vehicles, others went to the semi and began to climb into the back trailer. He heard noises like power tools going off, and more discussion, but it was lost in all the noise. It made the young Alpha entirely uncomfortable. Everything and everyone fell into some kind of place, but Alfred had nowhere to go. And upon looking up, he found Arthur staring at him with total smugness.

Alfred puffed out his chest, trying to look something akin to a CIA agent. But Arthur just laughed and clasped his gun back to the leather belt going across his chest. The assault rifle hung at his side, bouncing against his attractively flared hip as he approached the younger.

"You look like a regular fish out of water," he quipped, circling Alfred like a hungry lion. He seemed to be inspecting him for something, though Alfred wasn't sure of what.

"Everyone seems to have a job around here," the blue-eyed Alpha observed, growing nervous the more Arthur encircled him. He was starting to feel trapped.

"That they do," Arthur agreed with a nod, stopping just short of Alfred's face. The man was a bit shorter than him, though not by much. It didn't help though. Gazing down into those fierce emerald orbs was just as terrifying as looking up to them. The man had the scrutinizing look of a drill sergeant. "Now I have to find a use for you."

"L-like what?"

"Well, are you good at anything?"

"Uh- well," Alfred stammered, feeling rather lowly. These were all trained professionals around him. He was just some middle-of-nowhere all American boy.

"It's a yes or no question, followed by a brief explanation, kid. Are you good at anything?" Arthur repeated, eyes hooded as his tone took on an air of boredom.

"I played baseball at my school when I was younger. Does that count?"

Arthur huffed an exasperated sigh.

"Not even in the slightest. You're telling me that all you've done in life is play childrens' baseball?"

"No! I like math! I made great marks on every math test!"

"Great. You can ace a test."

"Hey-"

"Kid, out here, it's about survival. You could barely hold that gun. You'd better pick up some kind of useful trait or we'll leave you for the CDC to poach. I can't have dead weight in my faction." Arthur's voice was cold and distant, but Alfred didn't doubt a word of what the Omega said. Arthur pivoted on his heel, turning to leave Alfred in his sulking, defensive state.

"So what the hell do you want me to do?" Alfred retorted lowly, more growling to himself than anyone else. But Arthur heard, but didn't even give Alfred a second glance as he opened the trunk to his SUV.

"I want you to quit feeling sorry for yourself and go do something useful," the Omega retorted, setting his backpack down to rummage through what was left. His gatherers would collect what he'd spilled upon running into Alfred, so he wasn't exactly worried. But while the emerald-eyed man was perfectly calm, the Alpha was fuming. This man had been nothing but arrogant and rude to him. This was still new and shocking to the sheltered blond! He had no idea about this world or what was expected of him. And he was going to make that known, lest he be left to fend for himself for his apparent uselessness.

Marching up to the Omega, Alfred grabbed his upper arm. And he regretted it immediately.

Arthur whirled on him, snapping his wrist up and twisting his arm violently. He somehow ended up behind Alfred, bending his arm back at a painful angle and shoving him down. Alfred's head slammed the edge of the SUV's bumper, dazing him into total submission as Arthur forced him to his knees.

"You are one stupid kid," Arthur said with a chuckle, pressing down to force a pained scream out of the Alpha. "Don't try shit like that with me. Next time, I'll break your arm."

"I'm sorry!" Alfred cried out, feeling tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. "Please! Let go!"

Arthur relented, giving into the pathetic pleas and subsequently releasing the younger's arm. He watched him untwist the limb, cradling it to his chest and fighting back tears. He'd never experienced agony like that before, and felt it resounding through every fiber of his arm and shoulder. Arthur could have easily snapped it out of place if he'd wanted to, the Alpha realized. He was beyond grateful he hadn't exerted that power though.

When he finally willed himself to stand, now with a throbbing headache and sore arm, the Alpha noted Arthur had vanished. Where the man could have gone, he didn't know, but he could still catch his scent. He wasn't far, just out of sight. Alfred couldn't say he missed him at all.

"Learn your lesson, little one?" a rough voice chimed from behind. Alfred glanced over his shoulder to see the silver-haired mechanic approaching. He had gas tanks in tow, all sloshing with the fuel Alfred assumed he'd siphoned.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" the man questioned when the younger Alpha failed to reply.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Alfred finally answered.

"Don't worry about it. Arthur doesn't like being touched when he's got his back to someone. Sorry you had to get such a fierce backlash though. He's probably still alert from the earlier fighting is all." The man, which Alfred now remembered was named Ivan, explained this as he set the gas tanks into a crate before pushing them into a different SUV.

"You saw?"

"No, I just heard you screaming."

Alfred grimaced, rubbing his arm in total embarrassment. He knew his face couldn't take on a darker shade of scarlet if he tried.

"Was I really that loud?"

Ivan offered an apologetic shrug, but couldn't lie to the little Alpha. It had been a rather unmanly shriek, in all honesty. He did offer him consolation in the form of a pat on the back when Alfred groaned.

"You'll get used to him and his quirks. He's actually a good guy, despite first impressions."

"I don't see it."

"You won't if you refuse to give him a chance. You'll see, little one. Just wait until he gives you your initiation, then you'll never want to be out of his sight ever again." Ivan had a knowing smirk as he walked to the open semi-truck's trailer. He hauled himself up while Alfred stood outside in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"I trust your nose told you that our fierce leader is an Omega, am I right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"And I can smell the Alpha on you."

"And?"

"Damn, you're dense!" Ivan teased, bellowing a deep, rumbling laugh as he grabbed a rusty toolbox.

"How am I dense? You haven't explained anything!" Alfred whined, following after the long-legged man as he made his way back to the CDC's vehicles.

"You'll see. Trust me, you can't miss it."

"I'm so confused," Alfred admitted, watching as Ivan opened the hood of the closest vehicle. He began dismantling its insides, carefully removing knobs, screws and wires with an expert hand. He stuffed them in his toolbox and pockets, scrapping the SUV down to its bare metal and aluminum.

"You picked a good time to join, I suppose," Ivan said with a little half-shrug. He slammed the hood back down, startling Alfred into nearly jumping out of his skin. The bigger Alpha couldn't help but chuckle under his breath, much to Alfred's detest. He was already tired of being laughed at, and he hadn't even been in the CIA for more than an hour!

"And why's that?" he finally retorted, continuing to follow Ivan about.

"Arthur's going into heat. I can smell it. It's also why the others were quick to point guns at you. Arthur's scent is extremely potent, even for an unmated Omega his age. It puts the others on edge, makes them aggressive and defensive of him."

"And how is that good? It's not as if he'll suddenly choose me as his mate."

"No, but that doesn't mean you won't get a piece of the action," Ivan teased, and Alfred felt his heart speed up. What did he mean by that? As if some cocky Omega like Arthur would want anything to do with Alfred, a totally untrained and sheltered Alpha.

"Whatever," Alfred blew off, crossing his arms while Ivan loaded his toolbox back in the truck, and shut the door.

"You'll understand," Ivan assured just as Arthur's voice rang out.

"Let's get moving, people! Hurry it up! Antonio, get your ass over here _now!_" He hollered and barked orders, sending everyone to their assigned vehicles while shouting profanities at the other green-eyed man and the shorter brunet that followed him around. Alfred just stood where he was, even as Ivan patted his back upon making his way to the front of the semi, and hoping in the cabin. The blue-eyed Alpha didn't know which vehicle to go to, and simply stared around, hoping someone would see the confusion etched in his furrowed brows and help him.

"Kid!"

Alfred groaned. Arthur was approaching him with that overly confident smirk he seemed to have permanently plastered on his face unless he was yelling.

"While everyone takes their sweet time getting ready to leave, you can come with me." Arthur's words were said without an ounce of leeway for the Alpha. He grudgingly followed along as the Omega led him back to his SUV. Climbing up, he scooted until he had his back to the seats, and beckoned Alfred inside with a come hither gesture. It sent the hairs on the back of his neck upright, and made sweat bead along his hairline. Just something about the way Arthur was looking at him like a fresh cut of juicy meat made him nervous and strangely giddy.

"Shut the hatch," Arthur ordered, and Alfred found he didn't have the will to disobey. Hearing it click shut and lock, the Alpha drew in a deep breath to steady himself before glancing back to Arthur. He had to swallow down the excess saliva as it pooled in his mouth at the sight.

The man was leaning back against the SUV's frame, lazily wedged between the front seats and side window. He looked entirely casual, legs spread and hand palming his groin, occasionally toying with the zipper of his pants. Naturally, he didn't say anything, but trapped in the enclosed space suddenly made it so much harder to ignore the delicious scent on the Omega. There was no breeze to carry it off, so it lingered around, flooding his senses with each passing moment.

Alfred didn't know what to do. He'd never had an Omega before, though he knew the intense heat scent. Only Arthur's seemed to fray his nerves far more than any of his neighborhood Omegas. Arthur's had a wildness to it, something that reminded Alfred of something feral and had a ferocity that just couldn't be tamed. He guessed trying to compare Arthur's scent to any other Omega's was like comparing a wolf to a lap dog. It both unnerved and excited him.

"How's your arm?" Arthur purred, hand still on his crotch.

"What?" Alfred snapped to attention, having been entirely distracted by the intoxicating aroma around him.

"Your arm," Arthur motioned to the aforementioned. "How is it? I didn't tear anything, did I?"

"Uh, oh, my arm. No, it's fine. Still kind of sore though," Alfred stammered back, wiping his mouth. He couldn't swallow down the excess drool fast enough.

Arthur didn't say anything in response. He shifted, bringing his knees up a bit to leave Alfred with a better view to let his imagination run wild. Under those dark pants, the Alpha could imagine the powerful muscles and sculpted body. Arthur was lithe, but the blue-eyed man had no doubt he was built of long, fine muscle over porcelain skin. He'd seen how quick and how strong the older was, after all.

"Something bothering you?" Arthur asked, but the way his words were drawled in a sleek, seductive manner had Alfred's thighs twitching. His scent was beyond intoxicating as it permeated the entirety of the small space.

"N-no, why?"

"Your pants appear to be tenting," Arthur nodded to the obvious erection Alfred didn't even bother trying to hide. "That's all." It was just so casual that Alfred couldn't help but be ridiculously embarrassed. He tried closing his legs, as if he could somehow hide the fact that he was aroused. The Omega chuckled at his vain attempts.

"I could help you with that," he purred.

"N-no thanks." Alfred did his best to remain polite and in control. This had to be some kind of test. Arthur was trying to see how quick he could break his will, or something as equally humiliating.

"You sure?" Arthur huffed a sigh, lowering the zipper on his pants, then loosening his tie.

"Y-y-yeah."

"Positive?"

"Mmhmm." Alfred bobbed his head, now more occupied with trying to convince himself. His cock twitched and strained beneath his jeans rather painfully. If he could just touch himself, or get away from the Omega pheromones driving his body mad, he'd be alright. He didn't know how long this horrid test was supposed to last though. Maybe he should concede? But he didn't want to look like a fool in front of his leader yet again. What surprised him though was that Arthur didn't seem intent on laughing at him, or taunting him in anyway. He just sat there, lounging back and observing with a faintly amused and impressed gleam in his eyes.

"Come here," he finally ordered, motioning for the younger to sit before him.

"I'm f-fine right h-here," Alfred assured, not sure how good of an idea it was to get closer to the source of his extremely painful erection.

"Are you disobeying me?" Strangely, the Omega's voice held no authority to it, but Alfred couldn't keep his eyes off this thin, tantalizing lips.

"N-no, sir," Alfred said, relenting at last. He'd suffer the humiliation if only he could just relieve himself. Enduring it was starting to send pulses of pain all the way up into his stomach from how badly he needed friction on his strained cock. Inching up to Arthur, he halted just as his legs bumped Arthur's, scared to come too much closer for fear of losing control.

Arthur rolled his eyes, and suddenly grabbed Alfred's arms. Surprised, Alfred was easy to pull against him, crashing the younger's body flush against his own.

"You need to lighten up, kid. I don't think I could have made this offer any more obvious," Arthur teased, the tip of his nose brushing Alfred's.

"N-no! Wait!" Alfred panicked, his entire body heating and sweating at touching the Omega and having his scent far too close. His cock ached enough to make him moan in pain and want, but he tried to scramble back. Only Arthur held him fast, and bucked his hips up against Alfred's clothed erection.

"A-Arthur! Oh God!" he moaned, unable to resist forcibly grinding back against the older. He panted hard in his face, his breath coming on moist vapor. The Alpha found himself intoxicated and trapped, eyes locked on the gorgeous emeralds that shined so brightly this close. There was a faint moment of clarity, where Alfred gently touched Arthur's cheek, mesmerized by eyes that could bring flawless gemstones to shame.

"I- I don't u-understand," the Alpha said, racking his brain for some sort of explanation. Their rough grinding continued, and Alfred was scared he'd sully his jeans right then and there.

Arthur wasn't even close to flustered, though his cheeks were lightly dusted in pink from his arousal, unable to fend it off due to his heat. He guided Alfred's hand from his cheek to his finely toned stomach, encouraging him to touch. It was just so painfully obvious that the Alpha was a virgin, seeing as how scared he was. The shaking and darting eyes made it very clear to the older Omega.

"What's not to understand? You're an Alpha; I'm an Omega."

"I-Ivan said the same thing, b-but I don't get it." Alfred continued to pant and groan, needing more than just the rough graze of his clothes against his cock.

"Have sex with me," Arthur growled bluntly, knowing if he tried to be subtle, the naive Alpha would just continue to babble and grind until he finally spilled himself without even getting his clothes off.

"B-but I hardly know y-you!" Alfred protested, even as his body relented. This felt strange, and new and terrifying, but he wanted it.

"So? You still want me." That smug tone was back, but the blue-eyed man was beyond caring if this cocky bastard was that full of himself. He needed relief. And he needed it now.

"Strip me," Arthur commanded on a sultry purr, guiding the younger's hands down to his zipper. Alfred should have been irate that the man seemed to have all the control. He was an Alpha, for God's sake! He should have been the one making this Omega beg and whine for him. Instead, he was getting played by the older man's collected demeanor and experience. His pride hurt, but his need to claim this Omega was far more pressing.

Fumbling with the zipper, Alfred growled, finding a strange savagery slowly creeping into his burning blood. He practically wrenched Arthur out of his clothing after he finally managed to get the emerald-eyed man's pants open.

Arthur chuckled, watching the young Alpha struggle and grow so desperate. He got a thrill out of the show. Alphas were so amusing to watch turn into sex-driven animals for him. He could turn the most shy, mild-mannered and perfectly polite Alpha into a slobbering, horny mongrel, even a virgin scaredy-cat like Alfred. Just the way he was so fixated on getting Arthur naked and beneath him made the Omega shake his head. That kind of power was what reassured him that he was in total control. No Alpha would get the better of him. Ever.

But what happened next surprised him.

Alfred seemed to pause just shy of pulling Arthur's pants down his long legs. He'd already torn his suit coat and collared shirt off, but the Alpha simply stared at him.

"Wow," was all Alfred could say, getting a glimpse of cogency again, and - far more gently than before - stripped Arthur of his pants.

"What?" Arthur queried in confusion, brows furrowed. Why had Alfred slowed down, and why the hell was he gawking?

"Uh- oh, you-" Alfred stammered, running a hand down Arthur's toned stomach. He could feel the living heat and powerful muscle beneath his fingertips, so alive and incredible.

"Spit it out, kid," Arthur growled, though he watched the way Alfred's hand seemed intent on exploring, rather than grabbing or holding him down. It was a nice change of pace, but Arthur knew it wouldn't last long, and opted to ignore it.

"Uh- I'm just really impressed. Y-you're gorgeous." When Alfred finally managed to force it out, he blinked in surprise at his own boldness. He'd never felt someone else's skin like this before. He'd never even seen an Omega's exposed body, or been so near during their heat. At school, they'd always been separated. When Arthur didn't speak, Alfred gulped rather loudly, nervous that wasn't what his leader had wanted to hear. He didn't know why he wouldn't want to be complimented, but Arthur seemed to strange. Anything was possible.

"Thanks... kid," Arthur murmured, choked as if it were difficult to say the grateful words. It wasn't, honestly, but Arthur wasn't accustomed to such things said about him from an Alpha. The derogatory catcalls about his ass were generally what Arthur got to listen to, growled amongst animalistic grunts and panting.

Alfred brightened, growing excited again. Arthur had actually thanked him, albeit in a half-hearted mutter, but it was something. He continued to groom down Arthur's body, still grinding against Arthur's exposed cock. He failed to notice the slight winces from the Omega as his zipper dug at the sensitive flesh, lost in the feeling. Arthur quickly tired of the sharp metal though, and grabbed at it, yanking his pants open. Alfred gasped, surprised, but quickly flushing in embarrassment. Arthur was fully nude, and he'd yet to shed a single article.

The Alpha went to shimming out of his pants, discarding his underwear as well. A shiver rippled up his spine as the air hit his erect length.

"My, my... you're a big one," Arthur purred, noting the young Alpha had a sizable endowment. Of course that meant taking his knot was going to be a tight fit, but Arthur knew he could handle it. He couldn't help but smirk though; Alfred's face had gotten even more red, if that was possible.

Shifting uncomfortably, Alfred wasn't sure what to do next. He knew the premise and basic mechanics of sex with an Omega in heat, but getting there without hurting Arthur was his main concern. He didn't know what kind of position would be most comfortable for him to take his knot, or even if he would fit. Arthur wasn't exactly big, and Alfred wasn't even sure the size of his knot. He didn't want to hurt the emerald-eyed Omega, and looked up at Arthur through his long, golden lashes for assistance.

"I keep forgetting you've never done this." Arthur sighed, starting to shift so he could rest on his back for Alfred. He wasn't about to let this man mount him. No one had earned that privilege, as far as Arthur was concerned. If he couldn't see the Alpha he was mating with, he wasn't allowing it. This was a privilege, to have his body was something Arthur's Alphas earned, and the Omega would have it on his terms.

As Arthur inched down, he spread his legs, and Alfred caught a glimpse of all the heat slick coating his cheeks and the back of his thighs. The scent hit him like a brick, and before he could so much as register a thought, instinct took over.

He crashed Arthur back against the wall, pushing his folded legs under the older to get him caught in his lap and the seats. The Omega grunted in surprise, but didn't object. if the Alpha wanted him in his lap, that was fine.

"Is- is this alright?" Alfred growled out, burying his nose against the older's neck to drink in his scent. He was practically high off of the intense pheromones.

"It's fine, just get it in already," Arthur growled. This wasn't supposed to last this long. He'd expected the Alpha to immediately jump him, not flounder about with touching and talking so much. And Alfred's scent was starting to get to his head as well. He didn't want to be in a position where his well-trained control would break.

Alfred's shaking hand wrapped around his shaft, pushing the head against Arthur's slicked entrance. He felt the twitch of moving heat relent, and snapped his hips up. Arthur grunted at the forced entry, glad for the odd angle. It made it so Alfred could only get so much of his cock in with a single thrust. Even if his muscle knew to relax around the younger's cock, it still stung to be entered that quickly.

The Alpha immediately found himself bucking, trying to press in as deep as he could to get at that incredible heat and tightness. He growled and grazed his teeth against Arthur's neck, desperate to get at that incredible, sexual prize.

Arthur grunted and winced, his brows furrowing at the untrained rhythm the blue-eyed man attempted. It felt more like random jabbing, and at the strange angle Alfred kept trying at, it was just about unpleasant. His cock stabbed roughly at his walls rather than sliding into him like he needed.

"K-kid, move back. Let me ride you because this isn't working," he growled out.

"N-no!" Alfred whined, feeling his balls tighten as release neared. "Please, just a-a little m-more!"

"If you're going to knot, your dick has to actually be inside me, not just stabbing around, you idiot!" Arthur chastised, wincing at a particularly poorly executed thrust that sent a flare of pain up his spine. He pushed off the wall, grabbing Alfred's shoulders to get better leverage before pushing himself down to be fully sheathed on the younger.

Alfred cried out at the immense pleasure of having his cock engulfed inside the warm, wet heat of Arthur's body. Wrapping his arms around the slight Omega's body, he grunted against his collar, feeling his knot swell up. He could feel Arthur digging his nails into his shoulders as a method of distracting himself from the pressure until they settled.

The Alpha panted in absolute euphoria, enjoying the feeling of his cock pulsing the constant stream of his seed into the Omega. Before him, Arthur settled with a quiet that just didn't seem right post-sex.

"A-Arthur? Are you okay? That was really amazing!" Alfred gasped out, excited and quite pleased with himself.

"Glad you liked it, kid," Arthur said with a nod, draping himself over the Alpha's shoulders, though one hand slid between them to get at his length. His own cock still ached for release, and he couldn't expect some lazy Alpha to do it. But Alfred seemed to notice, and apologized profusely. He brushed aside Arthur's hand to pump the Omega himself.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to forget about you!" he quickly amended. Arthur couldn't help the tiny smile on his lips, though Alfred couldn't see it.

"You talk too much," Arthur muttered, resting as the pleasure of Alfred's hand helped to alleviate the pressure building in his lower abdomen. He eventually came, though only loosed a low growl as his seed spilled across his chest.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing for everything."

"Sor- I mean, yes, sir."

They stayed in silence for awhile, and Alfred gently caressed his fingers down Arthur's strong, and deeply curved back. He marveled at all the muscle and the strange feel of it rippling under him. The Omega had an amazing body, and Alfred was keen on exploring every inch, though Arthur said nothing, and mostly didn't budge.

"Arthur?" Alfred asked after a deep sigh.

"What?"

"Does this mean we're mates?"

Arthur snorted obnoxiously.

"Hell no! You really think I'd bond with a pipsqueak like you?"

Alfred felt his stomach drop. Not mated? But he'd just knotted inside Arthur! Wasn't that how these things worked?

"But-"

"Kid, this meant nothing. This is your incentive to get better. You see all those Alphas out there," he pointed out of the back window at the CIA agents still milling about. "Every last one of them is a far more desirable mate than you. And I haven't bonded with any of them. Do you really think I'd just pick a random stranger to share my heart and soul with?"

"B-but! I thought-"

"Well, you thought wrong. We're not bonded, we're not mates."

"Then why would you have sex with me?"

"To give you a taste of what you can have if you impress me. Everyone out there fights to spend a heat with yours truly. Good, healthy competition keeps my Alphas in top form. You'd be wise to keep up if you ever want this again."

Alfred felt disgust worm into his stomach, and suddenly didn't want to be connected to this man anymore. He was just using Alfred, and apparently, all the others out there. How could anyone make game out of whoring themselves out like a prize to win?

"That's awful!" Alfred protested.

"Like I told you earlier, it's reality. Besides Romano, I am the only other Omega in the CIA. And the only unmated one. Surrounded by this many Alphas, it would be stupid of me to deny them forever, lest the sexual frustration begin to wear on them."

"Don't you feel wretched though?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Used?"

"Nope."

"That's-"

"That's life, kid. It isn't fair, it isn't fun, but I do what I have to keep my team alive. Now quit being such a sniveling baby, it's not as if it affects you. You're so untrained, all you can do is improve. Maybe I'll take notice," Arthur purred dangerously.

Alfred barely had time to mutter a reluctant affirmative when the driver side door to the SUV opened. The Alpha yelped, suddenly embarrassed and tried to squirm away. Arthur squeezed his eyes shut at the pain of Alfred's knot tugging at him, and slammed his hand down on his chest to cease his wriggling.

"You know you can permanently damage your cock trying to do stupid shit like that," Arthur growled.

"S-sorry," Alfred returned on a whisper, the air having been crushed out of his lungs from the rough hit.

"We're set to leave, sir," a young woman said as he climbed into the driver's seat. Her tawny-brown hair was extremely long and thick, and her eyes were a shade of green similar to Antonio's. She didn't seem the slightest bit fazed to see her leader sitting on the newest Alpha's cock. But Alfred was beyond embarrassed and shaking miserably.

"Then let's be out of here," Arthur ordered nonchalantly before winking devilishly at Alfred. "There's no such thing as privacy out here, kid. Get used to it."

But as the vehicle roared to life and started off with the rest of the massive convoy, Alfred decided he didn't want to get used to it. He didn't want any of this awful sexual practice. This was just too much, too soon, and Alfred couldn't wait for his knot to reduce so he could escape this whore before he managed to pollute the blue-eyed Alpha too.

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**Thanks for reading, and hope y'all are as excited for this as I am! ^^**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter 3**

**By Hellieace**

**Warnings: Omegaverse, violence, gore, swearing, and sexual content.**

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**Reviews:**

**blackfluffysootball2: Hahaha! Go go speedy updates!**

**Blind Squirrel: Yay! Glad you're loving this dynamic.**

**01blackcat02: Yeah, pretty much my thoughts, too.**

**Corey5268: Haha, it just takes some training and motivation. ;)**

**Guest 1: Yeah, I actually feel bad for art. There is a reason he's like this.**

**CloveroverDover: I like changing things up a bit, especially well defined or often used things like the typical A/O dynamic.**

**Scotia: Artie does need to come off his high horse, and no one likes being seen so lowly.**

**The New Taisho Woman: Hehehee! The man has to learn somehow, doesn't he? xD**

**Lunar Iris: I'm glad you're liking it. I like making Arthur the hardened, experienced one. He's seen a lot, y'know? It's actually really sad that he's been put through so much, and now has to make that clear to Alfred.**

**J-J-ANIME-ROCKS: Of course I answered you, sweetheart! I take all my reviewers to heart. You guys make it really special to write. :) Not answering you all seems so... heartless, I guess?**

**Dark Fenrir: No, something certainly made Arthur this way for sure!**

**gjlkgjlk: Bwuahahaah! *dying* Thank you for that laugh, hon!**

**MattieWinter: Yes indeed! I will be exploring plenty of characters more in depth ^^**

**DaifukuBun: Yeah, the kind of contempt isn't just there. Something happens to make someone like that. ;)**

**ProNation: Eeee! A fan of the game! Pm if you want to add me as a friend on psn! ^^ But yissss, Alfred is a good person, but he will be hot! ^^**

**Mabel: Well, I mean, Arthur basically has a harem of Alphas. So yes, Arthur will be using them as he sees fit. But the main plot is for USUK. You'll see, I promise I'm not jerking you guys around with that.**

**LostDonut: Grazie!**

**Guest 2: Me too, anon. Me too.**

**bottledinspiration: Yes guys, it's very much implied that Arthur just sees sex as a meaningless thing that he can use to keep his Alphas loyal to him and motivated. It means nothing to him. This is still USUK through and through.**

**HetaliaHour: haha, it'd be interesting to see a cool cat like art get jelly xD**

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Chapter 3

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The moment Alfred felt his knot reduce, he was quick to move out from under Arthur. The Omega didn't seem fazed at being left right after Alfred finished. He groaned, massaging at the small of his back. Sitting up like that after Alfred's rather poor performance had put a strain on the muscle.

Alfred just didn't understand how the Omega could be so calm. The man stretched out on his side, all fluid muscle and absolute grace. There wasn't a single thing about him that wasn't perfectly calm and collected. Meanwhile, Alfred was scrambling to get his pants back on.

Alfred curled up, bringing his knees to his chest as his stomach knotted up. Just looking at the man made him sick. He couldn't care less about who he slept with, bouncing from one Alpha to the other like they were expendable. He didn't want to be thought of as some sex object that Arthur could pick and choose to have whenever he pleased. It just seemed so wrong.

The older noticed the change in Alfred's demeanor, but didn't comment on it. The young Alpha was probably just traumatized finding out all of this. It didn't escape him that he wasn't exactly the most traditional of Omegas. All that preaching of prized virginity, one mate, life of bearing children had never settled well with Arthur. He'd always felt a call for a greater purpose, not one bearing an Alpha on his back like a subservient baby factory. No, Alphas knelt for Arthur, not the other way around.

He was also quite positive that Alfred would get over his moral crisis. Their hair, eyes, build, even their voices were different, but Alphas all shared the same nature. They dominated, and couldn't contain their drive for Omegas. That Arthur knew, and he used it to his advantage. Alfred would fall into his predisposed nature, and it would be back to normal for the Omega. Just another warm body to claim their reward.

Of course, with every Alpha snapping for a prize, Arthur was quick to remember something rather vital. StretchIng his arm to reach to the far side of the trunk, the Omega flipped open a small panel. Pressing a quick series of keystrokes, the soft hiss of a latch caught Alfred's attention. He watched as Arthur opened up a small port in the flooring, and pulled out a canister. He fished out a syringe as well, before filling it with a reddish serum from the container.

Blinking in surprise, the Alpha watched as the emerald-eyed man looked over his arm before injecting the liquid without so much as batting a lash. He replaced the contents into the hidden alcove, and closed it.

"You have this obnoxious tendency to gawk, kid," Arthur observed, still casually on his side and naked as a buck. Though Alfred felt a faint twinge of guilt when the Omega stiffened a bit and massaged his lower abdomen.

"What was that?" Alfred finally worked up the courage to ask.

"Birth control. Can't have a pack of little me's running around, now can we?" The Omega was quick to jest, despite the fact he hated the awful serum. It made him feel sick to his stomach for a few hours, and tended to make him drowsy, but the side effects were well worth it. Just the thought of having to bear a child out here in this hellhole was terrifying, let alone never knowing exactly the Alpha it might belong to. There wasn't a single one of them he would have been comfortable giving that kind of ability.

"Oh, yeah..." Alfred rubbed at his arm. He hadn't even stopped to consider putting on a condom. And he doubted many would, even if he knew where to get one in this new world. You couldn't simply walk to a convenience store any longer without the fear of death.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Arthur asked, examining his nails nonchalantly.

"I didn't even- oh, well, I mean-"

"You just rammed yourself right in, didn't care if it might have been a danger to me. Yes, I know how you Alphas are." The apathy in his voice had Alfred shivering.

"No! That's not true!" Alfred tried to protest, defensive and irate at being so generalized. Arthur hardly knew him, and he had no right to say things like that about him.

"Not true? Really? Guess the last time an Alpha so much as asked if it was alright to knot in me, or bothered with a condom. Or if they even had the decency to stay near me after they've had their little thrill." Arthur didn't shout, didn't yell, didn't even look upset. His expression was level, but aloof, like he'd given up being passionate about his own health.

"I don't know..." Alfred trailed off rather meekly, unable to raise a fight to someone who obviously didn't care for arguments any longer.

"Never."

Alfred flinched at the ice in the older's voice. What could he say to that? He didn't know what had happened to Arthur, and why he was like this, but it couldn't have been pleasant. Those kinds of sentiments, coming from an Omega no less, didn't just happen. Something caused that. Something long term, painful and cruel. Whatever had been done to Arthur, Alfred didn't want to know, but understood that he was gazing at a quiet, undiscovered travesty. Even if he couldn't acknowledge it to his mind, and forced it from his thoughts, the ache in his chest was there.

"Still," the Alpha muttered.

"Still what?"

"You shouldn't generalize like that! You don't know me. What if I'm different?"

"You certainly had no qualms about anything."

He couldn't deny that thoughts of Arthur's safety had been thrown from his mind the moment he'd penetrated him. But he had been worried before. He hadn't wanted to hurt the Omega, and still didn't. Then again, how many times had Arthur heard that excuse before, and eventually he'd just given up in inquiring? But he whored himself out. He willing let others use him. But Alfred didn't believe that meant he ought to be mistreated.

"I'm sorry," was all Alfred could think to say. Arthur huffed a sigh, waving his hand to dismiss it entirely.

"It's fine, kid. I'm not mad. Things happen, and we move on."

Alfred nodded, glad to see it settle. It may not have been the best answer, or the one Alfred would have truly liked to hear, but at least Arthur wasn't upset with him.

"So, that serum, what does it actually do? I mean, you seem so calm for being in heat."

"Self-control is a wonderful thing," Arthur purred. "But the serum does help. Besides birth control, it lowers my drive, makes it easier to handle. I can't be incapacitated during a firefight, since I don't particularly like dying."

"You fight during your heat?" Alfred was both impressed and stunned. At school, Omegas in heat were to stay home and rest. If they couldn't come into a classroom environment because of their condition, the Alpha couldn't imagine the strain of having to defend his life.

"You don't expect the zombies to take pity on me, do you?"

"I guess not." Feeling ignorant for asking such a question, the young Alpha gathered the rest of his clothes, and slipped his shirt back on, hoping to avoid more of the subject. He also noted - rather uncomfortably - that Arthur didn't even bother to collect his clothes. They were still strewn about wherever Alfred had thrown them in his scrambling attempts to rid the Omega of them. That bit about privacy must have had some bearing if Arthur was so comfortable in his own skin, and their driver said nothing either.

"Where are we heading?" Alfred asked after another awkward lapse in their talk. Silence seemed so unnerving for Alfred with this gorgeous Omega and his intense heat scent. Talking provided at least some distraction. Plus getting away from the earlier, more sensitive topic was a major relief.

"Back East. The CDC has the West coast under their rule. We were driven out, though I suspect they'll soon follow us."

"Why's that?"

"The zombie plague is continuing to spread. It's wiped out most of the human colonies. More and more of the CDC agents fall to it every day, and the break outs among the animal populations are becoming more widespread. We're hoping that by now survivors on the East are forming colonies. Perhaps we'll have better luck there reestablishing order."

"Oh," Alfred murmured, turning his gaze away.

"You're taking this rather well."

"I'm not sure it's fully hit me yet," he admitted, gazing out the back window of the SUV. The long convoy of CIA vehicles followed after, spaced evenly in a pack.

"Get some sleep, kid," Arthur advised at last. He'd watched Alfred sulk and brood long enough. This Alpha was going to have to learn quickly that he couldn't keep denying the gravity of the situation. This was live or die, survival of the fittest, and if Alfred wasn't fit - mentally and physically - he wasn't going to make it. But the Omega had a tiny flicker of hope that he'd be alright. A little sleep after this kind of trauma was necessary for both recovery and acceptance.

Leaning up, he tapped Elizabeta's shoulder to catch her attention. Draping himself over the seat, he smirked at her in the rearview mirror before motioning to blankets that were folded up in the front seat.

"You don't mind if the new kid sleeps in our place, right?" he affirmed, though the she-Alpha huffed knowing she didn't have much of a choice.

"Fine," she agreed, reaching back to smack Arthur's arm. The Omega chuckled, kissing her cheek playfully before taking the blankets. He pitched one at Alfred, who looked confused at the strange display.

"I've know Elise since before we made the mobile faction. She's a very good friend of mine, so I'm allowed to tease her," Arthur explained, wrapping himself up in the patchy quilt. "Better thank her for her hospitality. It's usually only two people to a vehicle."

"Oh! Uh, thank you, ma'am," Alfred stammered. Elise never took her eyes off the worn highway they traversed, but inclined her head to acknowledge she'd heard the other Alpha.

Seeing as Arthur had already bundled up, the blue-eyed man unfolded his blanket as well, yet found himself wrinkling his nose. It was little more than a sheet, threadbare and stained in places. Arthur must have noticed because he chimed in sarcastically.

"Problem?"

"The blanket-"

"It's as good as it gets."

"But-"

"What were you expecting, a king-sized mattress and satin sheets?"

Alfred puffed out his chest in defiance, and furrowed his brows. There was no other word to describe Alfred's dislike for the man's tone beyond contempt. This damned Omega was far too cocky and a total smart-ass.

"Aww, did I ruffle your feathers?" Arthur mocked pity before laughing. "Just go to bed, kid. You'll feel a lot less pissy after a nap."

"I'm not pissy! What the hell?"

"Heh, and they say Omegas are the emotional ones. Just sleep, kid. Conversation's done."

"You can't just insult me and drop the whole discussion!" Alfred protested, his hands clutching the blanket. His knuckles were bone-white, but his cheeks were tinted scarlet in hurried anger.

But Arthur didn't answer. He had his eyes shut, as if he were actually sleeping. Alfred knew better though. Feigning sleep wasn't going to relieve Arthur of his obligation to at least apologize for the rude comments.

The moment he shifted to grab Arthur, the man loosed a dangerous warning in that icy voice Alfred knew meant trouble.

"Touch me, and I'll put a knife in your liver."

"What?" Alfred stupidly responded, shaken by the threat.

"I said: if you so much as lay a finger on me, I will shove a very sharp blade into your gullet, and twist it until I am quite sure I have carved a hole into that lovely organ called a liver. Can I make it any clearer for you with a demonstration?"

"No, sir!" Alfred was quick to amend, clutching the blanket under his chin in sheer terror. There wasn't a single syllable Alfred didn't believe if he refused to shut his mouth and put away his pride.

From the front seat, Elizabeta chuckled, and Alfred swore he could feel what little hubris he had left withering away.

Opting to ignore the smug CIA agents, Alfred curled up beneath his ragged blanket. From having his perfect, sheltered world torn asunder, to losing his virginity to a whore, Alfred shouldn't have been surprised that darkness took him away the moment his eyes slipped shut.

"Sir?"

"Hmm?" Arthur groaned sleepily, refusing to open his eyes. He knew the voice to be Elise's.

"Sir, we've spotted a town up ahead. We're running low on a few canned goods, sir. I suggest we stop to see what we can scavenge."

"Very well," Arthur mumbled, but grimaced as he felt that uncomfortable wet feeling along the back of his thighs. His stomach muscles quivered, and he couldn't ignore the tugging at his instinctual needs.

Elise was keen to notice the way her leader shifted his legs uncomfortably.

"Should I find-"

"Yeah, that sharpshooter I was telling you about earlier. I need someone that actually knows how to do it after that kid about broke my spine."

"You're exaggerating, sir," Elise teased. "I think you liked that boy."

"Virgins are always a nice change of pace." Arthur shrugged it off, then sat up. He rubbed blearily at his eyes to clear them of sleep. Blinking, he noticed that Alfred was still soundly asleep, curled up in a ball on the far side of the trunk. And he just couldn't help but wonder about him. Would he make it? Would he find a place here? Would he even survive? Their usual recruits were hardened survivors, people who knew death, and famine and hardship. This was some pampered nobody that probably had never eaten canned food in his life.

His ponderings didn't last long though, as Elise returned with another Alpha. The man was fairly nondescript, about average height, not much muscle to him besides his shoulders. He'd do.

The man looked quite eager when Arthur thanked Elise with a nod, and she took it as her dismissal. He climbed into the trunk, shutting the hatch, and Immediately pounced on Arthur. The Omega grunted at the sudden force. The man ripped the blanket away, making Arthur shiver at the sudden loss of comfortable warmth. He wasn't exactly excited for the raw heat of skin to skin from another brute though.

Teeth bared, the Alpha shoved Arthur onto his back with a rough push to his hips. That savagery had taken him over, and the Omega barely contained his opposition to it while his legs were spread. Shoving into him, ignoring Arthur's wince at yet another brutal entrance, the Alpha instantly started to thrust wildly. It was at such a point that Arthur simply tipped his head back and feigned pleasure in moans and grunts. Whatever it took, just to get the edge off and send the Alpha away until he needed release again.

Unfortunately for Alfred, the rocking in the back of the SUV disturbed his sleep. Groaning lightly, he woke in confusion to odd grunts and squelching noises. The scent hit him next, the overwhelming scent that signalled an Omega in heat. But he wrinkled his nose as the arousal scent of an Alpha blended with it, making his stomach churn.

Daring to peek his eyes open, the blue-eyed man instantly regretted it. If he'd thought imagining Arthur with others was unpleasant, actually seeing another looming above him made him nauseous. There was a tight lump in his throat that he couldn't swallow down as he secretly watched.

The other Alpha's hands had a bruising grip on Arthur's hips, and he could already see where the skin beneath his fingertips was an angry scarlet. He was roughly slamming into Arthur, making the Omega wince, though he didn't complain once. Rather, he seemed bored. Not with the sex per se, but with the man above him. It was like he was staring at a stranger on the street. He wouldn't even meet the Alpha's eyes before he turned his head away.

That's when Arthur noticed Alfred was awake. He sent him a little wink, almost like he had read the grimace on the younger Alpha's face as concern, and was trying to reassure him. It made him wonder though - just by the strange look in Arthur's eyes - did he wish this big Alpha was Alfred?

The thought was preposterous, of course, but Alfred couldn't help himself. The man above Arthur didn't touch his stomach gently, or marvel at the unique beauty Arthur's sleek body held. He just fucked him wildly.

Alfred was quite positive he was going to retch when the other Alpha knotted, squeezing his eyes shut in pleasure. It made him entirely oblivious to the stress in Arthur's jaw as he grit his teeth past the pressure. He could see every muscle straining in the Omega's body, as if his entire being just wanted to reject that it had to do this. Finally, the emerald-eyed man relaxed, though he put a hand on the Alpha's chest when he tried to rest down on him. At least Arthur didn't look the least bit afraid that he had to push the Alpha back again when he snarled down at the Omega.

He couldn't bear it anymore though. Alfred slinked out from under the blanket, and crawled into the front seats to try to escape. The other Alpha must have finally noticed him though because as Alfred opened the passenger side door to flee, he called back at him tauntingly.

"Hope you enjoyed the show, runt!"

Unsure of whether to be irate or sickened, Alfred stormed off with conflicted emotions burning his blood. He stalked off to where a few agents were gathered around a folding table. They all seemed to be pointing at various locations on a map, and talking amongst themselves. The only person he recognized in the gathering was Elizabeta, but wandered towards them anyway. Slithering his way through them, he came up to Elise's side to take a look at what all this fuss was about.

"What's going on?" he whispered to her. She glanced sidelong at him through her bright, jade eyes and smirked.

"Curious, aren't you? Did Arthur kick you out of the car?"

"No!" Alfred defended immediately. "I- I just wanted to be away."

"You didn't like the sight," she corrected him to earnesty.

"Yeah..."

"It's alright. I don't either."

"You mean-"

"We'll talk later," she said before turning her gaze back to the map. "Right now, we have more important matters. This is a map of the town up ahead. I had Antonio collect it from the visitor's center. We're currently forming scouting parties to start raiding the grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations. Which begs the question: who will go with Ivan to drain the gasoline tanks at the stations?"

A few hands went up, and Elise nodded at them.

"Gear up, he'll be waiting for you at the tanker number 2."

Those chosen scattered, moving off to their respective vehicles. Alfred watched them, slowly working up his courage before nudging Elise. He wanted to make himself useful around here. If he was a CIA agent now, he had to start acting like one. Plus if he had a job to take his mind off Arthur, it might quell his rebellious stomach.

"I want to go with them. I've already met Ivan."

Elise drew her gaze back to him, her expression unreadable as she scrutinized the younger Alpha. Alfred was about to back down when she finally nodded her head.

"Alright, I'm sure he wouldn't mind an extra set of hands."

Shocked, but certainly excited, it took a moment for Alfred to remember his manners, and thank Elise. Darting off, he was quick to spot Ivan's pale figure leaned against the cabin of his tanker. A thought came to him though.

"I thought you drove one of the semi-trucks," he mused aloud.

"Usually, yes. But Berwald needs sleep too, so I'm in charge of his tanker for now."

"Berwald?"

"Bit of a recluse. Usually if you see his mate, Tino, you'll find him nearby. He gets anxious if he's away from him too long."

"I don't know Tino, either," Alfred admitted, shuffling his feet. He really needed to start learning who these people were, especially the ones with important jobs. They seemed to be more tightly knit. Ivan didn't seem to mind his ignorance though.

"Tino is a good kid. He's sensible and tends to play peacekeeper around here. He's the one that brought us Berwald. You can't miss that odd pair. Berwald is my height, blond hair, blue eyes, Alpha. Tino is a rather small fellow, especially for a Beta. His hair's almost white-blond and he's got light bluish eyes as well. But in all honesty, you may not see them too much."

"Really?" Alfred wondered.

"Berwald isn't the most social. He's pleasant, but he likes to stick to himself and his mate. And lately, he's fallen rather ill." The larger man's tone was grave, and his eyes told Alfred he knew something deeper than that. Alfred decided to prod.

"What do you mean?"

"It's no virus, or infection. We've tried every kind of medicine we can get our hands on. I'm starting to believe it's something incurable, and will take down one of our most loyal agents."

Ivan shook his head as the rest of the agents assigned to him trickled in. They came armed to the teeth it seemed. Shotguns and assault rifles were in hand or strapped to their backs, bullet proof vests were around most of their chests, and some had knives and tactical weapons on their hips as well. Alfred felt self-conscious in only his shirt, jeans and sidearm given to him by Arthur.

"This isn't talk for now though," Ivan dismissed on a whisper before addressing the group. "Routine gasoline collection, everyone. I'll need a perimeter, and a few assistants to help me with the hose. Stay alert since we're taking the tanker with us. We haven't hit a gas station in awhile, and four of the compartments are empty."

They all made some form of affirmation, and began to gather in their vehicles to follow after Ivan. Alfred didn't have a vehicle of his own though, and as he was left alone, it became painfully obvious that no one was about to offer him a ride.

"Err, Ivan!" he called after the violet-eyed man.

"Need a lift?" he asked with a smirk.

"How the hell does everyone here know what I'm thinking or just randomly finishes my sentences?" It may have been nice that he didn't have to try to get across what he needed, but it was still rather annoying. He felt childish that everything he inquired of was so easily answerable.

"Because we've all been there. Everyone here starts out confused and out of place. It's how Arthur weeds out the weak. If you can't adapt and learn to adjust to your new teammates, you tend to die quickly."

Alfred audibly gulped at the thought of dying out here. He already didn't fit in, and had the apprehensive feeling that it just might lead to his undoing. Yet, as he climbed into the cabin, and Ivan started off, he felt like he had a strong ally in this man. He didn't seem to be in any competition like the other Alphas, and wanted to help Alfred adjust. The younger Alpha thought it odd, but wasn't about to question him or his motives. Maybe he was a genuinely good guy?

They rode there in silence, just the roar of the tanker's massive engine as the convoy weaved through the streets.

Alfred had never seen another town before, and marveled at the eerie scenery. The blotted out sky left a haze on the abandoned streets. Buildings reached for the ashen clouds above, but their dilapidated walls and shattered windows couldn't bring them high enough. There were no people here, no stray dogs or cats. Cars were strewn about, papers and twinkling glass littered every sidewalk. The whole place was forlorn, as if time and even God had forgotten about this place. Life had ceased for this town.

"Terrifying, isn't? How quickly the world can change," said Ivan as he pulled into a gas station parking lot.

"Yeah..." Alfred whispered on a stolen breath. It felt as if he could wake the dead with his faint voice in all the silence.

Upon exiting the cabin, a flicker of a shadow caught Alfred's eye. He peered down the alley across from the station, but all that remained was a flooded dumpster, its foul reek still powerful from across the road. Nose wrinkling, Alfred set off after Ivan.

Refueling the tanker proceeded without incident. Though the entire time, Alfred couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them. But every time he looked around, nothing was there, and scenting the air only flooded his senses with the stench of decay. It still made him nervous though, but seeing as no one else was unnerved by the eerie feeling, Alfred let it be without another word.

It was only upon returning to the CIA camp that Alfred actually felt a true fear in him.

A large circle of agents was gathered around, and the blue-eyed Alpha had to squeeze his way through the crowd to see what was happening.

Antonio, in tears, was shaking Arthur's shoulders, yelling in a mixture of broken Spanish and English.

"Antonio! Calm the hell down! What happened?" Arthur tried to reason, grabbing his arms and doing his best to hold the Alpha still. But the man was shaking horribly and just couldn't seem to mouth the words.

"C'mon!" Arthur yelled, seeming to break the frightened trance Antonio was trapped in.

"Romano!" he howled in despair. "It's Romano! We ran into a mob of z-zombies. He was f-following after me while w-we were running, and- and -and-"

"And what?" Arthur encouraged, lowering his voice to a soothing tone.

"I turned around and he was gone! I can't find him! Romano! Romano, where are you!" he cried out again, breaking down into tears once more.

"Shit," Arthur growled as he stepped back. He looked towards the town, shaking his head. He doubted there was any hope left for the Omega, but they could still try.

"Gear up, we're going after him," he ordered, pointing to a section of agents that happened to include Alfred. The young Alpha swallowed hard, but Ivan clapped his shoulder, having been standing next to him.

"Hope your ready for your first zombie hunt," the man teased, but the underlying seriousness in his tone had Alfred's heart pounding. He just hoped he lived to at least see his second.

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**Thanks for reading, everyone! Sorry if any of you saw that little scare on tumblr. I think everything should be okay! I appreciate all your concern!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter 4**

**By Hellieace**

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**Reviews**

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Darkfenrir: Exactly. It's just the same negative reinforcement over and over again, and it's ingrained in Arthur's head now. :( They're both in unfortunate situations. Arthur has experienced too much, and Alfred too little.

Mabel: Sorry to hear that, , you're going to miss plot elements. =/

MattieWinter: Haha, I did! I did! And yes, I like Ivan as a decent fella. :)

ProNation: Gah! I'm sorry! My friend's ps3 randomly died on him too. =/ And no, thank you for reading and reviewing! ^^

Pengwens: Yep, pretty much how I feel. You can be submissive, but still be strong. It doesn't make you weak. And honestly, even beyond Omegaverse, I get annoyed when traditionally submissive characters are painted as weaklings simply for being submissive. If it's part of the plot, that's cool, but just because they don't dominate or top? C'mon, I know folks can be more creative than that. And I do like to deviate from norms. xD

TheAmazingAl: Aweeee! Thank you, sweetie! It serious warms my heart to see folks breaking away from their comfort zones to read this. It means I'm doing something right here, I feel! Thank you for so many kind compliments!

DaifukuBun: Thank you! Gosh, y'all are way too kind! But yeah, Art definitely needs some affection.

The New Taisho Woman: Grazie~ hehe.

Corey5268: The CIA is a mobile faction, unlike the stationary CDC. They scavenge just about everything. So when they do pharmacy raids, it's the first thing Arthur grabs. Thank you though! I do like to tangle these boys up. xD

Rini-San: Howdy, hon! Glad to see you back! Shame about your account though. :( And I haven't made plans for him so far, but I'm full of surprises xD

Lunar Iris: I'm glad that stuck with you because it certainly will stick with Alfred. ;) And thank you!

Lisacreature: Thank you, thank you! See? It's really awesome to see folks leaving a comfortable reading zone to check this out!

Closet Yaoi fan: Thank you, dear! ^^ Oh, and that's because I get kind of derpy while writing and have this bad habit of forgetting what POV I'm writing from. Sorry about that!

Blackcat: Since the CIA is a mobile faction, they have to find things left after looting and destruction. If you ever watched the Resident Evil movies, think of that large caravan. But wow, yeah, super awk~

ShadowFaerye: Hehehe, once you find Ahro and I, you cannot escape! ^^ I'm glad so many folks are enjoying our deviation from the Omegaverse norms. I find it so much more fun to branch out, and explore how such a dynamic would function in such varied environments. It's exciting that folks like and appreciate it! Hehe, yes! More RusAme bromance is always great!

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**Chapter 4**

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The call to arms sent a rioting wave of excited chatter through the CIA. Talk of a large scale search-and-rescue mission enthused many of the hardened veteran - especially the Alphas - all looking for a means to impress their leader. For Alfred though, it was utter chaos and ultimately terrifying.

He had to look to Ivan for explanation. The violet-eyed man seemed to have an answer for everything, after all.

"Go follow Arthur, he'll get you gear for the hunt. I have to get my own tack out of the semi, but I'll meet up with you later." Alfred nodded to acknowledge his understanding before the older man left. All that remained now was to catch up to the Omega walking off.

Alfred jogged up to him, thankfully remembering not to put his hand on the emerald-eyed man's shoulder just in the nick of time.

"You're learning," Arthur noted with a smirk.

"I try, sir," Alfred returned, hearing the light undertone in the older's voice and recognizing the vague comment as something akin to praise. "so, this hunt?"

"I hope it to be short and sweet. We either find Romano alive, or we find what remains of his corpse. There isn't much of any other option. Zombies don't have functional minds that allow them to keep prisoners or show mercy. They just consume." Surprisingly, Arthur's tone was cold. It wasn't a callous explanation, and Alfred was starting to wonder if this was how the Omega showed his actual emotions. All that cockiness and knowledge masked it well, but Alfred somehow felt as if he could read the feeling hidden under it. He didn't know how he knew, he simply did. He was fairly certain he'd been spot on quite a few times already.

"Do you think Romano's alright?" Alfred asked.

"I hope so. He's an excellent scout, and he makes Antonio very happy. The man was always quite excitable, but since he mated with Romano, I've never seen him so alive." There it was again, that strange underlying message. Alfred knew there was something there. Arthur chose his words carefully, no matter how quickly he retorted. The Omega was too clever to say anything that didn't warrant some sort of analyses.

"But this is drivel. It doesn't matter what I think. What matters is getting everyone ready on this hunt as quickly as possible. Come along, kid. We'll get you some decent gear. No agent of mine is walking into a zombie fight in a shirt and jeans." Arthur gave him a light shove back towards his SUV. The hatch was open, and Alfred was glad to see that other Alpha had left. Though his scent still lingered, making Alfred curl his lips back in distaste.

"I didn't much like his scent either," Arthur offered with a shrug. He'd seen that look on Elise's face enough times to recognize when one Alpha caught wind of another's arousal scent.

"Then why would you mate with him?" Alfred blurted out, forgetting to give pause to think these kinds of things over. He immediately wished he could call the words back, especially when the Omega gave him an odd look. He offered a casual shrug, entirely dropping the subject. Alfred breathed a sigh of relief, and climbed into the back with him.

Arthur opened up another compartment in the flooring, though this one was much larger, and contained a heavy trunk. Flipping the locks, he pushed back the top to reveal stacks of clothing that seemed to be made of an unknown fabric - unknown to Alfred, at least. It had a strange weave and a faint, stain shine to the black material.

The Omega pulled out a shirt, vest, and pair of gloves for Alfred before getting his own. He began to strip off his suit jacket and collared shirt while explaining to the younger.

"Stab resistant body armor, SWAT grade stuff. It's good to keep a zombie's teeth from going in your arm, or keeping their claws back too. Those gloves also offer needle protection; good if we're in a pharmacy or hospital and need to grab everything quickly. The CDC likes to use biological hazards against us if they sniff out we're raiding their labs. I've had plenty of them come at me with needles filled with all kinds of nasty things before."

Alfred was impressed. Examining the gear, it didn't look like much, but if Arthur trusted his life to it, Alfred was keen to wear it. Peeling off his shirt, he had to tussle and fight with the fabric to force it over his broad shoulders.

"Sorry if it's a bit small on you. You're obviously not my size," Arthur quipped, easily sliding into his own gear, and buttoning up his collar shirt.

"Hey, Arthur?"

The Omega glanced up at him from fixing his tie, and Alfred took that as his permission to continue. Normally, Arthur would have been annoyed with questions, directing them elsewhere - usually to Elise. But Alfred was too naive to turn away, and Arthur figured his inquiries were in total honesty, rather than annoyance or stupidity.

"Why do you wear a suit? Everyone else is in more- I don't know, military gear?"

"Because they have no class," Arthur stated bluntly, smirking at the way Alfred cocked his head in absolute bemusement.

"No class?"

"Well, when I die, I'll have a fine, classy corpse. What can they say? They'll die looking like everyone else." Arthur seemed very fixated on that simple fact. Just the way he said it made him sound so serious that Alfred almost didn't notice the way his emerald gaze drifted off, as if he could see something beyond the dying horizon. But what he saw, Alfred didn't know, but he could guess it was unpleasant, like the scarlet rays of the setting sun ran like rivers of spilled blood.

"That's... not what I was expecting."

"It also makes me easier to spot in the melee. It's good to know where your leader is." Arthur chuckled, clapping the younger's shoulder. The man was looking at him strangely, almost something akin to understanding. It was faintly unnerving, and Arthur moved away. This boy knew nothing, least of all, Arthur, and he pushed the thought aside.

"C'mon, kid. You're gonna help me armor the SUV."

"You put armor on these things?" Alfred quipped, jogging to catch up. For his lower height and casual demeanor, Arthur moved quite quickly.

"I can't have my vehicles damaged beyond what Ivan can repair or has the resources to fix. You don't just find perfectly good CIA modified vehicles everywhere these days. My fleet is one of the most valuable resources we have."

"So what do you put on them? And why not leave it all on?"

"Modified cow-catchers and window slats, mostly. A lot of debris is dangerous to hit head-on with flat grill vehicles. The cow-catchers deviate debris away from vehicles, and window slats are obviously to avoid zombies climbing in for a free ride and a free meal. But it's all very heavy, and isn't good on the tires or fuel economy. Out in the open countryside, they're not necessary, and we avoid cities to avoid zombies."

It all seemed like such a precise science. For something so raw and terrifying as surviving day to day in a broken world filled with horrid terrors, Arthur had it to a perfect formula. But maybe that _was _survival? One mistake meant death, and numbers were exact.

"Here," Arthur grunted, having made it to the open semi's trailer, and climbed up. He set his hands on a heavy cattle-catch, and dragged it to the edge of the trailer. "Hold the bottom, and lower it to the ground."

Alfred did as commanded, struggling and grunting his way through lowering the guard down, while somehow Arthur handled it with ease. Once it was down, Arthur got behind it and pushed it to his vehicle without help. The younger followed along, feeling rather unmanly for being outdone yet again by this Omega.

Shoving it to the very front of the SUV, Arthur patted the two large hooks mounted to the front grill.

"Pick up your end, and hitch it to these. Once you've got it lined up, just drop it. On three: one two, and three." Alfred scrambled to hoist one end of the steel structure, though together they managed to attach the cattle catch, letting it drop with a massive thud that rocked the vehicle.

"It won't tip over?" Alfred asked skeptically.

"The backend is loaded down, plus it sits low enough to the ground to keep it from flipping."

"But-"

"Just get in the SUV`," Arthur deviated, rolling his eyes. He may have been fine with Alfred's questions, but he could only handle so many. The younger looked a bit dejected, but climbed into the back seats without complaint. Arthur smirked approvingly, and followed suit, though he made his way to the driver side. It appeared that the blue-eyed man was indeed learning, and doing so quickly.

As Arthur started the car, Alfred leaned up on the seat, glancing to the place where Elise should have been. Sensing the younger's gaze and oncoming inquiry, Arthur shook his head.

"She's in charge while I am away. She'll stay behind. Which means you're free to sit up here with me, if you'd like," Arthur explained. His smug grin faltered when the younger just slunk back into his own seat. It was rare to see anyone pass up the opportunity to sit in Elise's seat. It didn't mean much, but the idea usually tempted most Alphas to replace the female Alpha Arthur called his second-in-command. He'd never known an Alpha to turn down stroking their ego beyond Ivan and Elise. But they were a very special breed, the kind of person that only came along once in a blue moon. Arthur still felt blessed to have found two of them.

"Stay here. I have one last check to do before we leave. Don't touch anything," he reminded sternly, anxious about leaving this kid alone in his precious SUV. He was rather fond of the hulking machine, and her long-time performance with the CIA.

Alfred grumbled under his breath about being treated like a child. He was nineteen, and this damn Omega thought he was some rebellious punk that was going to mess with his things, simply because he could. Alfred had a little more respect than that - unlike Arthur.

Glaring out the window as Arthur walked away, he sneered a vulgar insult, but was glad Arthur didn't hear. The man was still a trained killer, even if he was rude and arrogant.

Strangely though, where the Alpha thought the older was just going about to issue orders, he saw Arthur do something strange. He walked up to a spry looking man with light-blond hair - who Alfred recognized as Tino, via Ivan's description.

Tino smiled fondly at the Omega, and Arthur touched his shoulder with a soft, uncharacteristic smile. The Beta gasped, and suddenly clasped the emerald-eyed man's hand with a thankful grin before dashing off. Alfred watched as he rushed up to an extremely tall man, and hugged him around the chest.

The taller man - who must have been Berwald - smiled fondly, and returned his mate's embrace with one arm. The other was occupied leaning on a metal cane. And even from this distance, the man looked gravely ill. His skin was sallow, and his body shook very faintly, yet he still stood proudly, and showed his mate every affection with a kiss to his hair. He had the tiniest smile, almost neutral, but the glimmer in his cobalt eyes, even narrowed, shined with love.

Tino spoke excitedly up to his Alpha, and patted his chest playfully. Then the two turned about, and headed back towards the tankers parked beside each other.

"Well, it's a nice change from you gawking at me," Arthur said snarkily, having returned while Alfred was distracted. His anger at the Omega was forgotten entirely in his curiosity.

"What was that?"

"I excused Tino from the hunt. He ought to be beside his mate. They may not have much longer together," Arthur explained, putting the vehicle into drive, and heading out. The silence following was a reflection of the strange way Alfred tried to perceive that information. For someone who thought Alphas were but horny mongrels, and used them as such, he'd acted out of kindness towards the mated pair. That wasn't what a man with such bigoted opinions did, and it confused Alfred. Yet he couldn't find a way to voice this, and let it fall away to look ahead to the deadly task before them.

The drive into the city was just as eerie as the first time. The streets had not changed, but somehow, things were different. Those shifting shadows and the invisible eyes were everywhere now. Darkness had changed a deserted city into something out of a hellish nightmare. Alfred could feel the hairs on the nape of his neck bristle, and violent shudders ran down his spine as darkness encroached all around them. Slowly, those invisible eyes began to glow blue in the blackness, and Alfred realized just how hopeless this endeavor would be.

"They're everywhere," Alfred whispered in horror as Arthur stopped the car. Counting them was pointless. There were just that many; unblinking, terrifying and entirely unnatural.

"And they're very hungry," Arthur retorted, quickly opening the back hatch. Alfred huddled close as the older pulled his assault rifle from its mounted stand inside the SUV. All around, the other agents were doing just the same, though none of them held the absolute, poised confidence Arthur had.

The Omega patted the younger's back.

"Keep focused and stay close to me, kid," he said with a wink before drawing back the cocking bolt on the gun. Just as Arthur leaned on the car, and his expression changed to one of fierce calculation, the first of the horrors began.

Alfred had never heard such an awful noise as when the first of the shuffling creatures emerged from the shadows. Its jaws parted, mangled teeth, rotting, writhing tongue and bloodied lips exposed as it screeched like a shrieking banshee. Grunting, and roaring, the thing charged Arthur with its claws outstretched.

The Alpha was paralyzed with fear as the monstrosity ran straight for them. Its shabby clothing was stained in blood and visceral, eyes tiny orbs of eerie blue and its sloughing skin made up a terrifyingly inhuman creature. But there was something else there. The way the creature's face contorted in rage, the old t-shirt and jeans, the almost painful way it cried out as it reached for Arthur convinced Alfred of one thing: it had once been human.

The rattling blast of a burst of gunshot echoed between the cars, shaking Alfred as the zombie fell at Arthur's feet. The massive exit wounds from the powerful assault rifle riddled the creature's back, and dark ichor leaked from its grotesque body.

"You can't freeze up like that, kid."

Alfred darted his gaze up to the Omega, who stood with a hand on his hip, and the gun leaned back on his shoulder. His tone was cold, but without that arrogant air of superiority. But he did glance back at the blue-eyed man and wink.

"I'd hate to see another one get mauled on their first hunt."

Alfred felt his heart stop. The plummeting feeling in his stomach made him nauseous as he wondered: how many others had died on these initial introductions to the monsters the world had fallen to? How many others had Arthur said that exact same line to, and known they wouldn't be coming with him?

But there wasn't time to think. A cacophonous chorus of violent screaming went up, and was accompanied by the immense volley of gunshots. The open plaza of the dead city erupted into a battlefield in a matter of seconds. Blood flew into the air, splashing the concrete and SUVs as the zombies rushed forward in a blind rage. Their guttural cries of pain shook Alfred to the core, and the most he could do was cower beside Arthur. The Omega was too distracted by cutting down hordes of undead to notice his companion's lack of action.

It wasn't until a loud hiss from one of the zombies had Alfred's skin crawling that he noticed one crawling towards them. The creature had a leg blown off, but its wide, gnashing mouth still hungered for living flesh. It dragged itself closer, having inched under the vehicle beyond Arthur's scope of vision. It reached out a mangled, clawed hand to grab at the paralyzed Alpha, and something snapped in Alfred.

That same unknown instinct that had possessed him back in his town snatched his fear and tossed it aside. With only the small handgun Arthur had given him, Alfred raised it to level, lined the space between the zombie's glowing eyes in the sights, and pulled the trigger.

The zombie went limp, silent in total death. But Alfred was panting hard. The thing - the monster he'd just slain with a single bullet - didn't look like a monster at all. Still, with its eyes and mouth closed, Alfred could have sworn it looked peaceful. Even the way its mangled mouth was twisted gave the illusion of a peaceful smile.

Alfred dropped the gun with how violently his hands were shaking. It wasn't a moment later that he felt his knees buckle and his stomach upheaved the moment he hit the ground. He'd done it again. He'd murdered without thought. It wasn't any easier to handle than the first time. It was still disgusting, still wrong, still the worst feeling Alfred had ever felt - like rotting from the inside.

"Kid!" Arthur shouted in concern, hearing Alfred go down. The click of an empty magazine from his gun gave the Omega an excuse to kneel beside the the younger. "Alfred!"

But the Alpha had retreated into himself. Forehead pressed to the ground, and tears trickled down his cheeks. He was a murderer. There was no excuse, no way around it. He was a killer: a monster just like the thing he'd ended, and even the man beside him. And he didn't want that.

Feeling Arthur put a hand on his back, in what was meant to be a comforting gesture, Alfred lashed out. There was no comfort in the touch of a mass murderer.

"Get away!" he roared, flinching from beneath the older's fingertips.

"Calm down!" Arthur ordered, and the authoritarian nature of his command almost brought the Alpha under the grip of his voice. Almost.

The utter disgust was too much though, and Alfred managed to get his legs to cooperate. He was up and taking off before Arthur even had the chance to grab him back.

"Kid!" Arthur shouted again, hand outstretched as if he could snatch him back. But Alfred quickly vanished into the all-consuming darkness of the alleys. Alleys infested with hungry nightmares without the same qualms about killing that the younger, inexperience Alpha had.

Thinking quickly, the Omega whirled around, and flagged down his engineer with a distinct look and frantic wave. Ivan came running over, shotgun cradled to his chest as he stopped just short of his leader.

"Hold down the plaza, and find Romano. I have to go after Alfred. He bolted like a madman!" Arthur growled, bouncing on his feet in irritation. But Ivan could sense the worry in his tone. Alfred wasn't the only one that could read beneath the CIA commander's facade. Arthur didn't run after those that didn't want his help. Not unless they meant something to him. Going against the simple code of survival - deviating from the formula - was only in times of desperation. Just what Arthur saw in the fleeting shape of the younger Alpha, Ivan didn't know. But the Omega had never led them astray before, and the silver-haired man was inclined to nod.

"Go. I'll lead them."

Arthur said nothing, but the grateful softening in his blazing emerald eyes was enough for Ivan. He watched the shorter load a new clip into his MTAR assault rifle, grab two extras from the back of his vehicle, then pelt across the road after Alfred.

"Come back alive," Ivan murmured, breaching his shotgun to reload it, "both of you."

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**Thanks for reading! You guys can also get updates about this story from my tumblr page! hellieace. tumblr. com. Just remove the spaces after each dot. :) Also, sorry the chapter was a bit shorter than usual. Next one should be back to its usual length. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter 5**

**By Hellieace**

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**Reviews:**

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**DarkFenrir: Those Alpha instincts kicking in. His body is telling him different things then his head, and it's confusing and frustrating him. But oh yes, Artie is unamused!**

**The New Taisho Woman: *snorts* Alfred is not so good at the living. xD**

**DaifukuBun: Yay! I'm glad people are liking Ivan as well. He makes for a very interesting character, I feel Headshots ahoy!**

**ProNation: Gah, fanart for this would be sooooo amazing. I don't even care if you think you can't draw because you probably can! ^^**

**Guest1: Dawwww thanks~**

**Sweetestgirl21: Weeeeee~ I'm so glad you see the underlying fears Arthur has! and yes they would make the best crew! ^^**

**Pengwens: Legit!**

**TheAmazingAl: Yeah, that's how Alfred sees it. He still sees the human being that once was instead of the monster that is. And thank you so much!**

**lisacreature: 'Cause in the opening scene to one of the black ops 2 missions, there's a british CIA guy. I took that as my excuse to make Arthur CIA. xD**

**Rini-san: She has an Alpha nature in that she is very dominate and displays the usually characteristics of an Alpha. She's still female though. She's fairly rare.**

**Laruna Silverfox: Read to see~**

**PBJelly: Hehheeh, yay! Awesome that you found this!**

**InvaderPey: Hahaha yeah!**

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**Chapter 5**

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The darkness of the crumbling building did nothing to soothe Alfred's panicked nerves as he ran. The vile eyes were here too, and they watched him hungrily from the cracks in the walls. Their prey would tire, and they began to creep from the crevices.

The Alpha didn't notice though. He only stopped running when he crashed against a long bar, shattered glass across the top slicing into his hand. Wincing, he jerked back. The pain cleared his mind somewhat, lifting the fog of confusion and nausea. He had no idea where he was; he'd simply run, and hadn't looked back. It wasn't as if it would have mattered. He would be surrounded by monsters whichever way he turned. Whether they were shuffling undead, or apathetic CIA agents, it was all the same. It was a world of atrocity, and Alfred wanted no part of it.

But it seemed Arthur wasn't so willing to let the young Alpha escape.

Alfred hissed and whirled around at the crunch of broken glass beneath feet. He hadn't expected Arthur to follow him. The man was the leader of a powerful organization, and was too clever and calculating to risk his life over a wayward initiate.

However, where Arthur should have stood, a growling, decaying monster limped forward. It curled back its gray lips to expose a row of rotted fangs that dripped with toxic saliva. Alien blue eyes glowed in the darkness of the old pub as it neared its prey. The Alpha watched in horror as its chest convulsed, flesh quivering and drawn tight across the cage of bone, and it loosed a cry of hunger and macabre glee.

Backing up, Alfred found his path blocked by the tall bar. His muscles seized up, fear paralyzing his legs all over again. It was deja vu as the thing slowly approached its helpless prey, mouth agape in a wicked grin that split its bloody lips. Raising its claw, it went to slash Alfred's and enjoy the fresh blood and visceral of plump, pampered meal. And Alfred could do nothing but gaze up at the monster about to make a meal of him and scream in terror.

The splash of blood across Alfred's face wasn't unexpected. What was, was the fact that there was no pain. Shouldn't it have hurt as the the zombie gored his throat and spilled his blood? He'd squeezed his eyes shut at the last second, not wanting to see this decrepit world in his last moments.

Daring to peek an eye open, he was met by the sight of a very annoyed Omega, and a dead zombie at his feet. Arthur shouldered his gun, hip cocked in annoyance and a stern look furrowing his brows. The gleaming assault rifle's barrel blew a bit of smoke that caught the flickering, fading light of the moon beams as they filtered in through the filthy windows. The silver light cast sharply angled shadows across the Omega, and they left him looking like a cold statue - the perfect steely composure. Alfred decided the CIA leader was far more terrifying than any zombie. The monsters were just mindless things, hungry and pained. Arthur was a demon. Arthur was a cunning killer, a man that could lead a militia with a single command, someone who could commit murder without batting a lash.

"Get that stupid look off your face, kid," Arthur growled. Stepping forward, he watched as his words broke through to the Alpha. Fear turned to rage, and Alfred sneered at the Omega.

"Fuck you!" he roared, finding his aggression spurring. Arthur may have thought him pathetic and naive, but the blue-eyed man was still an Alpha, and wouldn't be looked down upon like a sniveling coward for what he believed.

"Ungrateful brat," Arthur quipped, his voice curt after such a reaction from the younger. He'd been expecting a shaky response, maybe even fearful silence, but of course the Alpha nature never failed to rear its ugly head. That aggression was unmistakable, and having been lingering around Arthur while in heat for quite a bit, he shouldn't have been surprised Alfred was quick to become agitated. "You ought to be thanking me for saving you."

"I don't thank murderers!" Alfred bellowed, hands balling into fists until the knuckles were bone-white.

"Murderer?" Arthur scoffed. How ignorant could this kid be? Murderers killed living, breathing human beings out of vindication. Arthur was a hunter. He killed monsters that threatened the lives of the people who depended on him. He may as well have been a savior.

"You heard me!"

"I did. But you're very wrong, kid. You have no idea what I am, but a murderer is quite far off."

"How so? You're just some narcissistic killer that uses people and slaughters anything that gets in your way!"

"Oh, you think so?" Arthur's tone was clipped and cold. The contradiction between the Omega's icy demeanor and the Alpha's fiery defiance thickened the tension in the air. It simmered between them as they fell into an anxious silence when Alfred couldn't muster up words past the lump in his throat. And Arthur wasn't talking. He didn't have to explain himself to this ignorant child. The man could think what he wanted, but the Omega wouldn't be the one to drive him back to camp. If Alfred wanted nothing to do with Arthur over such ridiculous misgivings in this awful world, then he could survive on his own.

"J-just go away! I-I- I don't want to be p-part of your gang!" Alfred finally stammered out, quickly losing this fight under the older's emerald glare. All he received was another arrogant scoff.

"Fine. Have fun dying." That said, he pivoted on his heels to leave. He didn't even give a second look back before exiting out the open threshold of the dilapidated bar.

Alfred was left in confusion, and relief. That jaded leer was not something he ever wanted on his again. Arthur was terrifying, even if the Alpha tried to deny the fact that he had been shaking that entire time.

Slumping back against the bar, Alfred only then realized that Arthur had actually gone. He was on his own this time. But he wouldn't do this Arthur's way. No, he wouldn't kill and slaughter to get what he wanted. He'd be fine just raiding... alone. Alone and without a means to fresh water, a simple handgun, and no food. This was already starting to backfire.

Especially when the hiss of another zombie caught Alfred's attention. Swallowing hard, he turned around, shivering as the creature crawled over the bar. Like its dead twin on the floor, its jaws were wide and full of gnashing teeth. Hunger gleamed in its eyes, sunken in around oily, discolored skin. But it wasn't alone, either. Quite a few more began to slink out from the cracked walls, and they growled with an appetence for warm flesh.

Finding his breathing coming hard, Alfred moved away from the bar, yet there wasn't really far to go. His hip bumped the edge of a slanted pool table, and he winced in pain. The zombies hissed and bared their teeth in unholy grins as they continued their slow, deliberate advance. When Arthur had said they were mindless, he'd been lying. These things could smell fear and see pain, and they delighted in it. Pain meant living, breathing prey. Pain meant food.

Backpedaling, Alfred's shoulders collided with the wall far too quickly, and he was instantly trapped. The zombies crept to encircle around him, still slow - dragging out their prey's misery.

Alfred's thoughts strayed back to the vow he'd sworn moments ago. Maybe killing was the only option? But did it make him any better than the creatures coming towards them. If he slew them, wouldn't he be like them too? Simply a killer...

But life had a persistent way of flourishing - survival was an instinct. And the moment the nearest zombie reached its talons out to dig into the Alpha, he felt himself bolt. Barreling into the zombie, he sent it crashing down, and scrambled over it as it screeched in confusion and writhed. Alfred ignored the seething monster, bolting for the gun he'd dropped beside the bar. He snatched it up, whirled about, took aim, and fired in one fluid movement before his conscience ever had the chance to catch up. One zombie dropped - a bullet through its left eye. The next one fell beside it with a gaping hole through its decaying heart as Alfred squeezed the trigger again.

That only left the one that had been seething on the floor. It was clawing to its feet again though, and Alfred found himself unable to pull the trigger. He'd lost his control again. He couldn't even stay in control of his own body, and it sickened him.

Still with the sidearm cradled to his chest, Alfred ran. The pub had a second floor, and the Alpha was quickly up the stairs, an ungraceful mess of trembling, cursing and tears. Panting, Alfred ducked around a corner, and took in his surroundings through bleary eyes.

The top floor of the pub must have once been the residence of its owners because it was lined with quaint furniture. Or it had been, at least. Most of it was charred or mere cinders now. Darkness pervaded the upper floor, despite the fact there were holes in the ceiling. There had to be a third floor if there was no moonlight filtering through. It was hard to tell, but a fire had ravaged this place, the slats above him were but ashes, barely held together.

There wasn't time to contemplate that, as the angry roar of the last zombie pierced the air. It deafened even the collective anarchy of the gunshots and screams below where the CIA fought their way through the hordes of monsters. Alfred dropped the gun to cover his ears. The cacophonous horror reverberated through his head, tearing at his senses. He squeezed his eyes shut, desperate to block it out as the monster charged him, screeching for its prey. He just couldn't do this. This wasn't his life. This wasn't what he was. Alfred was a middle-of-nowhere kid that loved baseball and missed his family. He was no survivor, no hardened veteran of a bleak world. No clever hunter. And now he was dead.

But the rattle of a assault rifle that was becoming rather familiar breached the horrid noise. The zombie fell silent as it shuddered, ichor splashing the ground. It gave one last shriek of defiance before collapsing to the ground.

And just behind it, casually ascending the stairs, was none other than Arthur Kirkland.

"That's another one you owe me," he teased, his signature smug smirk on his thin lips.

"B-but I- I... I thought you-"

"Left? No, I simply watched from afar. I saw those two brilliant shots, and thought maybe you'd seen reason. Yet you froze up again. I can't tell if it's fear or self-righteous nonsense with you though." Arthur cocked his head, as if he were actually pondering that.

Alfred shook his head, teeth gritted.

"It's not nonsense! Unlike you, I have a soul!"

"I sold that for guns, a team of expert survivors, food and medicine years ago. Best decision of my life," Arthur quipped snidely. "A soul doesn't kill zombies, kid. Bullets do. They're a lot more valuable out here than some golden boy's preaching. You have to learn that, and learn it fast."

"I don't want to!" Alfred shouted, throwing his hands up in utter frustration.

"That's too damn bad. You clearly can't survive on your own."

"What is your goddamned fixation with me?" Alfred howled, stomping his foot in rage. "Leave me the fuck alone, and let me die if I'm so useless!"

Arthur didn't have a chance to make a crass or snarky comment though. Alfred's little stunt as he flaunted his temper rattled up the crippled support beams to the third floor. They gave a weak groan before splintering, and sending the ceiling crashing down.

"Kid!" Arthur shouted, lunging to barrel into the younger as the ashen debris came down upon them. The timber rained down on Arthur's back and shoulders as he feebly kept the young Alpha beneath him. The last thing he heard before a board struck his head was Alfred's startled voice calling his name. Then came only blackness.

* * *

Ivan let his violet eyes scan about the dark room. They'd managed to defend the plaza with only a few injuries, but as the zombies had started to retreat, he'd given the order to follow. Where they went was the best place to start the search for Romano.

Leaving about half of the hunting party to guard the vehicles, Ivan had ordered the rest to accompany him in this nearly hopeless endeavor. The big Alpha was prepared for the worst, knowing full well that one scout was no match for the hordes they'd just had to destroy. At the very least though, Ivan could bring Antonio closure if they found the body, or what remained of it. While not the most pleasant outlook, Ivan knew better than to have high hopes. It just made coping easier in the long run.

Still, they had to actually find Romano.

Ivan glanced back, and motioned for Antonio to come up to his side. The usually cheerful Alpha was shaking faintly, and a despondency dimmed his forest-green eyes. Inclining his head, Antonio motioned for Ivan to head towards the left side of the building.

"That's where I saw him last," he murmured brokenly. Ivan felt a twinge of pity pluck at his heart. The other Alpha had a good heart and an energetic soul. To see him reduced to such a state of shattered melancholy, and slouched figure was an awful shame. He almost looked as if his soul had been leeched from him.

Antonio led them about, meekling calling for his mate as the dust fluttered about the abandoned building. It was too dark to see much, even with the heavy flashlights the hunting party carried. The dust and debris made it nearly impossible to see beyond a few feet in front of their faces. Thankfully though, the building was quiet. It soothed Ivan's raw nerves as he fretted over not just Romano and Antonio, but his leader as well. Arthur had vanished quite some time ago, and had yet to return. That would be his next priority, regardless of the outcome here. One loss could not lead to another. Mourning out here was short-lived, if at all.

But as they crept about, calling for Romano, guns at the ready, nothing came about. There was emptiness and dust, but no Romano. The Omega didn't cry out - or couldn't, Ivan wasn't sure. And the longer they searched, the more exasperated sighs he heard when checking every door or pile of rubble. There was just no sign of him.

Ivan swallowed hard as he opened the final door through the farthest back hallway.

"Romano?" he called.

No one answered.

Heaving a sigh, Ivan stepped back from the door, shouldering his gun. As he started to walk away, he heard a soft whimper, and whirled around.

"Romano?" he called again, actually entering the room. Swivelling his flashlight around, he searched about. "Are you here?"

Another quiet, pained whimper reached Ivan, and he quickly made for the storage closet the sound emanated from. Silently counting down, Ivan readied his gun - lest he be ambushed - and kicked open the door.

Ivan immediately lowered his weapon at the sight before him.

Romano was on his side, dried blood crusted on his face. His eyes were at half mast, bleary and inflamed from agitation. However, Ivan was more concerned with the huge gash on his stomach. It was hard to see in the poor lighting, but the gash was unmistakable, and Romano clutched it with his hands, trying to keep it from bleeding even more. His body armor had been torn apart, in what could only have been a savage attack. There was a pool of blood spread around the Omega, soaking into his clothing and hair.

Kneeling down beside him, Ivan set the gun down, and quickly moved the Omega's hand aside. He grimaced at the sight of it. The wound was extremely deep and jagged, but so were many of the other defensive wounds littering his body.

"I-Ivan," Romano simpered, choking as blood welled in his throat.

"Ssshhh, don't worry about explaining. You just fought for your life, and your mate is very worried," Ivan said. He stripped off his trench coat to drape over the golden-eyed man to keep him warm past the blood loss.

"Antonio... h-he's here?"

"Of course he's here. And he's going to be very excited to see you alive," Ivan assured, smiling softly. The Omega needed hope right now; he needed something to cling to to keep fighting. Ivan was no stranger to blood loss, and this much spilt as he lifted Romano into his arms was worrying.

The smaller man hissed in pain as he was shifted into the larger Alpha's arms, and held against his chest. Breathing labored, he whispered his mate's name again, glad that he would be here. The attack had been brutal, and Romano had barely been able to fight off the pack of zombies that had cornered him. In all honesty, he hadn't even been sure he'd make it out alive to see his Alpha ever again.

"Thanks..." he murmured, clutching at his wound again.

Ivan nodded, but couldn't help the knot in his stomach from forming. Romano wasn't safe just yet. Unless they could get the bleeding under control and well cleaned, the Omega might not make it after all.

The moment Ivan caught sight of Antonio, and the other Alpha looked up, he saw the bright fire return to the man's eyes.

"ROMANO!" He pelted up to Ivan, quickly taking him from Ivan, and cradling him to his chest. He sank to his knees in tears of joy with his mate curled up in his arms. Romano, yipped at the sudden movement, but quickly clutched at his Alpha's shirt, and buried against his neck.

Ivan stepped back without a word. He raised his hand to keep the others back as they rushed over after hearing Antonio. The two needed a moment after the traumatizing separation.

Antonio was kissing his hair, and holding him close, uncaring of the blood the sullied his chest and neck. He whispering thanks to God for giving him his mate back, and softly cooing sweet words and promises to Romano. The Omega growled softly at him, never having been one for so much affection, but it was all in good nature. He didn't want to feel like a victim, or think about how close he was brushing with death, and simply fell into his typical attitude with his usually cheery mate.

"Ivan, thank you!" Antonio said, finally calming enough to address his temporary commander.

"It's what I do. But we need to hurry. He needs medical attention."

Antonio suddenly flinched, and looked down at his mate. He ran his fingers over the many cuts along Romano's arms.

"B-but what if-?"

"If he hasn't been bitten, there's a chance he won't turn. But if saliva got in his wounds..."

"No!" Antonio whimpered, pulling his mate closer. He bit his lip, feeling his mate bury against his chest.

"We have to wait and see," Ivan said sensibly, patting the other Alpha's shoulder. "But we need to get moving. Now."

"Of course," Antonio agreed, getting back to his feet. He followed after the rest of the hunting party, still trying to comfort his wounded mate as they returned to the vehicles. Romano was quickly taken from him, and laid out in the back of the medical truck to be examined by the few trained agents.

Ivan watched as Antonio climbed up on the wheel-well to watch over his Omega, but stole his gaze away. His violet eyes searched for a distinct pair of emeralds in the milling group as wounds were treated and agents chattered about the hunt. There was a perimeter set, and guards paced about, at ready should more zombies think to make a meal of them.

Yet two men were not present, one of which Ivan was extremely concerned for. New initiates could be replaced. However, their experienced leader could not.

Feeling apprehension in his gut, Ivan made the decision that it had been too long. Arthur was either dead, or in danger. Either meant that he had to find the Omega, and find him quickly. Barking orders to the milling agents, he then went back to the last place he'd seen the emerald-eyed man; running into a burned out bar after the flighty new Alpha.

* * *

"Arthur! Oh God!" Alfred panicked as he gazed up at the man. Arthur was over him, braced on his arms, blood dripping from his mouth, and staining his teeth. The ceiling had collapsed, and somehow the older man had managed to keep the crashing beams off of Alfred. And he'd done it by shielding the Alpha with his own body.

On trembling limbs, Arthur held the heavy beams on his back, nearly ready to collapse from the weight and immense pain of nearly being crushed.

"M-move, kid..." he panted out, knowing he wasn't going to last long. Crumbling down on Alfred would have made saving him pointless.

Alfred scrambled out from under him, looking terrified as Arthur finally went down. Being pressed to the ground made it hard to breathe, and the Omega was suddenly regretting it. It wasn't as if he would have lasted much longer, but still.

"Arthur?" Alfred whispered in horror.

"K-kid, g-get this off m-me," the emerald-eyed man choked out, "h-hurry."

The Alpha lept to obey. He may have been disgusted by Arthur, may have even hated exactly what he was and what he did, but the man had just saved his life. And this was no way to die. Besides, if he simply left Arthur to his fate, was he any better than the CIA leader? He'd be just another cold-blooded killer.

Staining and grunting, he barely managed to push the beam off Arthur. He was relieved to hear the man draw in a deeper breath than his shallow pants as his chest was decompressed. But when he didn't rise, Alfred worried his lower lip, afraid Arthur had been too badly injured to.

Alfred knelt down beside him, scared to touch him.

"Arthur, are you okay?"

"No," Arthur breathed out, struggling to find the strength to lift himself.

"W-what should I d-do?" Alfred whimpered, needing guidance. He'd never experienced things like this before. Life and death just didn't happen to Alfred in his quaint little neighborhood. The biggest travesty of his life had been his old dog dying before all of this.

"Help me up," Arthur ordered, quite used to giving commands under pressure. Even badly injured, the need for a steady voice in the chaos was necessary.

Alfred nodded, carefully getting his arms around the smaller man's torso. He profusely apologized as Alfred groaned and winced as his badly bruised and cracked ribs were touched. But Alfred did manage to help the older man stand.

Arthur had to lean heavily on the Alpha, hardly steady, though he was determined to push forward. Even badly injured, he was still a leader, and had to be strong for the panicked initiate beside him.

Thankfully, a familiar voice called out from the bottom floor. The call of his engineer sent a wave of alleviation through him.

"Ivan!" Arthur returned, coughing as the sudden movement in his chest caused him a twinge of pain.

The silver-haired man sprinted up the stairs, and gasped seeing his leader slumped against the blue-eyed Alpha. The grime, ash and blood on his face immediately drew Ivan's concern.

"Sir, we need to get you back to base." Ivan was always logical, Arthur mused inwardly. He didn't ask stupid questions, didn't need to know what happened. His first concern was getting Arthur to safety, and asking all those unnecessary inquiries later. He didn't ask to take the Omega either, but Alfred didn't fight the older man being taken from him. All he could do was follow after in stunned silence.

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Arriving back to camp was strange. People were crowded around the medical truck, fretting over the wounded and the stories of the hunt.

Strangely though, Arthur had refused to be seen by their tiny medical team. Ivan had dragged him back to his own vehicle, Alfred trailing behind.

When Ivan had helped him into the back, and aided him in removing his body armor.

Alfred gasped in sheer horror at the sight.

Arthur's entire chest was mottled in gruesome bruises that covered every inch of his torso. All down his arms were blackened as well, and the sickening display made Alfred's heart twist up in guilt. This was his fault. If Arthur hadn't saved him, he wouldn't be so badly injured.

Climbing up into the back with them, he watched Ivan oil Arthur's skin in a yellow salve, and bandaged him. He gave Arthur a stern look, and pointed for him to lie down. Arthur returned with a defiant glare of his own, but did settle down on his side. It didn't exactly matter how he laid, considering there was not an inch of him that wasn't sore and uncomfortable to settle on.

"Make sure he stays down, Alfred," Ivan ordered, still looking at the wounded Omega. "I'll be back in a little while."

Alfred nodded dumbly, unsure of what else he could do. Beyond Ivan, Elise and Arthur, it wasn't as if he knew anyone else to go and gossip with like the other chattering CIA agents.

Time ticked by slowly, as Alfred hunched his shoulders, avoiding looking at the Omega. Arthur eventually dozed, but he was fitful, and whined in his restless sleep. The heat scent around him strengthened and permeated the air around Alfred. Even badly wounded, it seemed the older's heat cycles wouldn't relent, and the potency of his smell hardly lessened from the rough pain wracking his body. Before, his adrenaline had been enough to forgo his Alpha instincts to breed the emerald-eyed Omega. Now though was a different story.

Swallowing hard, Alfred decided the best course of action would be disobedience. Walking away was better than maybe falling victim to his instincts and doing something he'd regret.

He didn't have to go far before overhearing the familiar voice of Ivan, then Elise responding in something akin to frustration.

"I won't do it, Elise," Ivan said sternly. Alfred leaned back on the nearby semi-trailer, listening in with curiosity. They sounded like they were arguing, hidden away behind the trailer.

"Ivan, you're the only one he trusts!"

"Exactly. I won't ruin that."

"He needs relief!"

"Don't you think I know that?" Ivan retorted, furrowing his thick brows.

"So help him!" Elise looked just as flustered, her hands balled into fists.

"I can't," Ivan said, shaking his head, "I refuse to be like the rest of them."

"It's not the same!"

"You know it is, and you're lying to yourself if you think I'm wrong."

"No! They hurt him! You wouldn't!"

"How do you know that, Elise?" Ivan took a step back. "I can't risk that."

"You won't!" she insisted.

"There's always a chance. And it's a chance I won't take. I'm sorry." That said, he turned away. But Alfred could see the shame in his eyes as he walked to the medical truck to check on Romano's condition. Instinctively, Alfred knew they'd been talking about Arthur as well. Elise and Ivan hadn't hidden their affection and concern for the CIA commander, and the lingering heat scent dragged his mind to the Omega anyway.

He was startled from his thoughts when Elise suddenly pitched her voice.

"I know you're there, Alfred. You're not exactly stealthy." Her chiding was mild-mannered though, And Alfred couldn't hear any tone of annoyance to her melodic voice. "Come here. I have a favor to ask of you."

With his head bowed meekly, ashamed of being caught, he stepped up to the female Alpha.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I was there when you mated with Arthur," she said. Alfred's cheeks colored bright scarlet at having to recognize that he'd had an audience as he lost his virginity to some man he hardly knew.

"Y-yeah..." he muttered, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck.

"I need you to do it again," she stated bluntly, and hardly batted a lash when the younger startled.

"W-what?" he babbled, "why? Why me? He's hurt!"

"And his heat is driving his body mad. He needs relief, or his fever will persist, and he'll continue to be unable to sleep. He'll never heal if he's in that kind of discomfort. He may be one of the most powerful men in the world, but God still cursed him in being an Omega."

"And Ivan won't do it..."

"I presumed you were eavesdropping," she said, nodding nonchalantly.

"Sorry," Alfred muttered, gazing shamefully at the ground.

"It's fine. But I need this favor. Please," Elise persisted.

"No! I don't want to be knotted in that egotistical prick!" Alfred retorted, still dumbfounded by the absurd request. However, his choice words were poorly chosen, and Elise rounded on him. She had him by the collar in an instant, teeth bared in anger.

"Don't you dare speak of Arthur that way! That man has suffered and sacrificed too much to be spoken of with such hateful words! You owe him your life on multiple counts!"

"I'm sorry!" he pleaded, terrified of this woman, and the absolute ferocity in her voice. Anyone that could be a second in command to a faction of CIA agents was a lethal force. And Alfred wasn't about to challenge her after that stupid move. He really would have liked to avoid death as long as possible, though he was doing a poor job of it up to this point.

"You'd better be," she grumbled, but calmed after a deep breath. "Now then..."

"You really want me to?" Elise merely nodded.

"But why me?"

"Because-" Elise paused, then shook her head, "-just do it. Be gentle with him."

"No one else is," Alfred muttered, watching her turn away. She stiffened at the off-handed remark, and Alfred could see the way her shoulders slumped.

"That's the point," was all she said before heading back to the SUV she shared with Arthur.

Alfred furrowed his brows, and noted a strange ache in his chest. His heart was beating quicker, making him wonder just why those words had struck him so. They were simple, and just as side-mentioned as his own comment, yet they lingered. Thoughts straying, he followed after, and climbed into the back of the vehicle.

"Oh, look who's back," Arthur quipped, having been awake the vast majority of the time. The uncomfortable wetness between his legs, the flaring pain up his back, and the burning need plaguing his insides had just about been the most awful thing to deal with. Being injured on his heat was a miserable existence.

Alfred suddenly felt repelled, and scoffed as he sat opposite of the Omega. He said nothing to him, which clearly bothered the snarky CIA leader.

"What? I didn't think you'd ever stop talking," he commented, hiding his discomfort as another flare seared through his wounded body and fried his nerves.

"It's nothing." Alfred shrugged.

"There's always something. No one is ever without thought," Arthur said, his tone softening. Alfred wondered what that could mean. It sounded like concern to him, but he knew better. The man was just teasing him, poking and prodding at the new kid like a cat played with a fresh toy.

"You really want to know?" Alfred decided to lead him on.

"Not really. But you'll tell me anyways."

"I was wondering if you wanted relief."

Arthur made an audible noise of surprise. His bright emerald eyes were wide with surprise, and genuine confusion. Relief? Giving someone relief was an act of kindness. Alphas weren't kind to Omegas in heat. They didn't ask to help, they simply took for their own pleasure.

"You want to help me?" Arthur questioned in disbelief. Alfred gave a slow nod after a moment's pause.

"You mean that?"

"I do," Alfred said, actually finding something, deep in himself, acknowledging the truth in that statement. He pushed it aside though. Elise had asked a favor of him, and that's all it was. He had to force himself to believe only that as he crawled over to Arthur.

The Omega watched as the man carefully rid him of his trousers, slid off his wet underwear. The intense scent of his heat slick was fraying Alfred's nerves, but the words Arthur had said before were echoing in his ears as he helped Arthur sit up. No one had shown Arthur an ounce of kindness like this. No one had asked his permission, no one had ever made the time to make sure Arthur was alright. No one had ever so much as treated Arthur with any respect, or dignity. No one had made Arthur feel human like every living man or woman ought to be made to feel.

The odd pain in his heart returned, and it only worsened when he groomed back Arthur's hair, and watched the Omega's eyes close to relax. Just one little kind touch. Just a spare moment to show Arthur he wasn't here to take from him, and the man was already easing. That's all it took. Hardly any effort at all. Yet no one had given it pause.

"Oh, Arthur..." he breathed out, unable to contain that hurt in his chest. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" the Omega whispered, eyes still closed. But Alfred couldn't bring himself to admit that the thing he was sorry for wasn't even remotely his fault. But apologizing for every brutal Alpha that had forcibly taken Arthur wasn't his place. Still, he felt a weight on his shoulders lift just admitting it in his mind and secretly murmuring it to Arthur.

"You're hurt because of me," Alfred said as he freed his length from the confines of his jeans.

"It's my job to protect my agents. It's nothing," Arthur murmured while allowing Alfred to carefully maneuver him into his lap. What surprised him though, was that Alfred laid down,and kept Arthur over him. Head resting in the crook of the Alpha's neck, he felt Alfred bring his legs up, and guide his cock into the older's entrance. The abundance of heat slick made it easy, but the motion stung his bruised body some.

Alfred apologized again, hearing the Omega's pained noises, slowed himself down a bit. Holding back was beyond difficult, but the position helped. Thrusting hard or fast was a strain, and the slower rocking motion was much easier. Burying his nose in Arthur's hair, he grew lightheaded at the amazing scent flooding his senses. Heat and wet slick felt amazing against his cock, and he didn't last much longer than his first time.

Feeling his knot swell inside Arthur had his eyes rolling back from the immense pleasure, though it dwindled when he felt Arthur grip his shirt as he endured.

Biting his lower lip, Alfred dared to gently groom back Arthur's hair to soothe him as they settled. It wasn't exciting, or wild and strange like it had been before. But this was oddly comfortable. Arthur was draped on his chest, not much of a burden with his slight weight. The warm, living head felt nice as well. He hadn't thought of sex this way. He hadn't thought of the pleasant afterglow, and the relaxation as his sated body eased. But was Arthur alright?

"Arthur?"

But the older didn't answer. Furrowing his brows in concern, Alfred wondered if maybe he'd hurt the older man or upset his injuries. He shifted, but found the Omega to be dead weight.

"Hey! Arthur, c'mon," he murmured, rubbing the nape of the CIA leader's neck.

"Ssshhh, he's asleep," Elise whispered kindly, and Alfred gasped. She was sitting in the front seat again, looking over the back ones to the two blonds. She gave Alfred the kindest smile, and the male Alpha felt his heart leap as he gazed down. The Omega was nuzzled against his neck, breathing softly in a peaceful sleep. He must have been exhausted and finally relieved to have passed out so easily on Alfred's chest. he found that he didn't mind though, and settled back down to get some rest himself. Today had been strange, terrifying, awful and somehow had concluded with a all-over jubilance in his drained body. He followed after Arthur's example, and drifted off with Elise smiling down on them.

* * *

**:) Yay for cute~**


	6. Chapter 6

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter 6**

**By Hellieace**

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**Reviews:**

* * *

**HetaliaHour: Haha, there is no privacy whatsoever. xD**

**DarkFenrir: It's alright, hon. It's a moral crisis for him because they were human at one point. Plus he's a sheltered guy, and is just flung into this world. He's confused, but he'll work through it.**

**ProNation: xD Poor thing. Just toss away your soul, Al. It's so useless.**

**El Tord: Eeee, yay for different! ^^ Thank you, honey!**

**Pengwens: I couldn't kill Romano this early! Hehehee, but yes, poor Artie. :(**

**The New Taisho Woman: *is glomped* Thanks~ I mean, I love just fun smut, but I like giving it little flares or interesting thought. ^^**

**Lisacreature: Hell yeah he was. Poor Antonio. And he's sheltered, and thinks of the human being that once was. He just sees a living thing like himself and can't bear to kill unless he's taken by his survival instincts.**

**Luckyscones86: Hehe, no probs! ^^**

**TheAmazingAl: Awwwww, thank you! I'm honored to be a favorite among so many~ EEE, and I'm glad you enjoyed the ending scene. Arthur surprise is so heartbreaking though. He really doesn't know how to react to it.**

**MattieWinter: Hahahaa, I'm killing so many people with this it seems! xD More suspense awaits you, friend!**

**Blackcat: Heh, yes I love their dysfunctional friendship! ^^**

**Laruna SilverFox: Prepare for more xD**

**DaikfukuBun: I'm so excited for people to like Ivan! I always see him portrayed as evil, and he has so much potential as the vague, good guy nobody understands. Unf! Love him!**

**Jane: I'm glad to be the exception! ^^ Glad you enjoyed, and no, I don't get that a lot, so it's neat to hear! I've never played FEAR before, but it looks good! ^^**

**Rini-San: Thanks! And yep - heard of it, but haven't watched. It's only got like 2 episodes now though, right?**

**Invaderpey: Yay for cat faces! xD**

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**Chapter 6**

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Waking up was an entirely new experience. There was the usual bleary confusion upon waking somewhere that was yet to be familiar. Stranger yet was the weight on his chest. Rubbing at his tired eyes, Alfred let his gaze flicker down, and gasped faintly as last night came rushing back.

Elise had asked him to mate with Arthur, to help ease his discomfort while in heat. He'd been reluctant, remembering the awful feeling of being used, especially by a killer, and practical whore that used his sex appeal to control his Alphas.

It had all melted away though. And all it took was a single touch to the older's hair, and watching him ease. It wasn't the kind of cocky casual air Arthur usually held, but one of relief. It was almost as if there had been a breath held in fear, and the relieved exhale had sighed away the younger's inhibitions to mate with the Omega.

Arthur had fallen asleep shortly after Alfred had knotted inside him, exhausted beyond words. There had been something comfortable about being curled up on the young Alpha's chest. His warm scent had lulled him to rest easily with his nose buried against his neck. He'd been too tired to fight it off, and his body had been desperate. He would have dealt with anything at that point, but the fact that Alfred hadn't even tried to dominate him had been shocking. Alfred had said he'd wanted to help, and actually carried through with it. Wounded as he was, Arthur would have been easy to overpower in such a vulnerable state, but Alfred had been kind. The Alpha had carded his fingers through his hair, and let Arthur sleep on his chest. He'd actually stayed beside the Omega, instead of going off to brag after he'd finished. That was what Arthur was used to; it was refreshing to still be warm after dozing off though.

"You awake, kid?" Arthur murmured, tracing his fingers over Alfred's heart. The absent motion didn't escape the younger though, even in his sleep and shock muddled state. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he croaked out an affirmative. But he did something that once again surprised Arthur.

"How are you feeling?" Alfred asked. To his surprise, Arthur leaned up on his elbows. His face loomed inches above Alfred's. The Alpha felt his face heat up, feeling the older's warm breath on his lips. It occurred to him that he'd never actually shared a kiss with the CIA commander before. They'd had sex twice now, and yet something that generally precluded such acts had never happened.

"Horny," Arthur stated bluntly, shocking the Alpha from his thoughts. His cheeks tinted bright scarlet, even redder than before. He gave a shaky smile, feeling jittery and already noticing Arthur's warmth and scent past the waking haze.

"Oh," he muttered, looking sidelong in awkward embarrassment. Arthur smirked, and caressed his fingers under Alfred's jaw, turning his gaze back to the Omega. His bright blue eyes were wide with surprise when Arthur leaned closer, their noses brushing.

"Care to help me with that?" he purred, emerald eyes hooded in a predatory amusement. It was that cunning, cat-like gaze that Alfred could get lost in. It trapped him in some sort of awe - like looking into the eyes of a mighty tiger. There was a majestic beauty there, but also the animal ferocity, and flicker that demanded respect and commanded power. Those kind of eyes were rare, and always had something else, something that had garnered such hypnosis. Identifying it was impossible - Arthur hid it too well, just like the tiger could hide where it slept at night, its fears, all its vulnerabilities beneath its power. Alfred wondered what Arthur was hiding, and with it, pondered if he could ever divulge those secrets.

"Uh, if- if you want me to," Alfred offered, skimming his hands down Arthur's sides. He was conscious of the bandaging all along his torso, and grimaced when it only ended just beneath his hips. "But you're hurt."

"I've dealt with worse," the Omega quickly explained, finding it strangely uncomfortable to be worried over by this Alpha. He was used to it from Elise and Ivan, but having Alfred fret over his injuries when he should have just been drooling over the prospect of sating his instincts was odd.

"You're sure?"

Arthur snorted.

"What kind of Alpha are you? Yes. I'm very sure."

"I'm different," Alfred growled, unamused. Maybe while he thought he was looking at a majestic beast, he'd forgotten it was just another dirty, wild animal.

"'I'm different'," Arthur mocked, grinning at his own sick humor. "What about you is so special?"

"I haven't hurt you," Alfred defended.

"Yet."

The Alpha gasped, and watched the way those predatory eyes looked away. It was only the slightest shift, but there was a faraway look in those deep pools. He'd seen it before, and the blue-eyed man wondered just how many times he'd see it again. That was the look of a man - a powerful tiger - thinking of his wounded past, of fights for life, survival, hardship, and heartbreak.

"Maybe if you weren't such an ass, people wouldn't hurt you," Alfred offered, still peeved, but his chest was panging with guilt almost immediately.

"Right. I deserve all that comes to me for my piss, poor attitude. Typical douchebag response," Arthur retorted, carefully picking himself up from Alfred's chest. He struggled to brace on his badly bruised arms, and before he could manage, Alfred gripped his wrists.

"Wait."

"Let go," Arthur growled.

"Just stay, You're going to hurt yourself."

"As if you care!" the Omega retorted, sneering down at the younger. But Alfred guided him back down to his chest, gently cupping his shoulder blades. Arthur found himself less willing to resist when the Alpha's fingers found his hair, and groomed back his messy locks. He didn't like being vulnerable to such petty affections, but it felt nice nonetheless. He could ditch this kid whenever he felt like it, but as long as he kept his mouth shut and kept petting him, Arthur would tolerate it.

"What if I do?"

"I don't play that game, kid," Arthur growled, though continued to accept the soft caressing to his scalp. "I know you don't care. You think I'm a murderous whore." His tone was cold, but there was no lashing anger as one would expect with that kind of accusation.

"I never said that!" Alfred protested, words starting to catch in his throat.

"Kid, if I didn't know how to read people, I'd have died a long time ago. I saw the way you looked at me before the hunt, when I saved you too. I don't resent you for it. Quite a few people have the same opinion of me."

Alfred gnawed at his lower lip as he gazed down at the older. Arthur looked strangely content laying on his chest and saying such things. There was no self-pity in his words either. It was like he was reading the context of a textbook, and reciting simple fact.

"So, is that really who you are?" Alfred asked in earnest.

"A murderous whore?"

"That's kind of harsh..."

"It's what you think. And to you, it's what I am. Is that how I think of myself? No."

"You saved my life, Arthur. Maybe I don't want to think that way."

"I'm not changing for you," Arthur asserted, fingers knotting in the younger's shirt. They hadn't moved at all, despite the discussion. Surprisingly, Alfred hadn't pushed him off, and the Omega hadn't felt a desire to be anywhere but the Alpha's warm chest. "This is how I survive."

"I'm not asking you to. I just want to understand you, I think."

"You think?"

"Yeah..." Alfred trailed off, gently stroking down the older's neck. "Shouldn't I know about my leader?"

"Oh, but the mystery of Arthur Kirkland is quite tempting," Arthur teased, nipping at the delicate skin of the Alpha's collar. The younger yelped in surprise, blinking rapidly at the sudden graze. He gazed down at the emerald-eyed man, not sure what to make of the bite. It had caused a small spark of pain that seared into excitement as it zipped through his nerves. It just made every confusing thing about Arthur that much more troublesome.

"Why do you suddenly want to know about me? What's different than before," Arthur murmured, head tilted to the side.

"Stuff happened yesterday," was Alfred's lame excuse, tipping his head as well. The Omega grinned at him, nipping the tip of Alfred's nose. He laughed playfully when the younger startled, jerking his head back.

"What the hell!"

"You're amusing," Arthur purred, "and unbelievably naive."

"Hey!"

"Plenty of things happen everyday. But that's your excuse? Either you're not sincere, or you're inexperienced."

"It's... it's inexperience," Alfred admitted shamefully. He was an honest person, always had been. But he was young, and found that admitting he was sheltered was coming easier.

"And that's why I haven't sent you away yet," Arthur explained, resting his head back down. "So you may ask what you want. First though, I really am horny." The Omega rutted his groin against Alfred's upper thigh, his heat slick having begun to wet the younger's jeans.

Still entirely nude, there was nothing but skin for Alfred to touch as he moaned. Except when his fingers grazed gauze bandages. Alfred paused a moment, worrying over Arthur, but the man gave a rough bite to his neck, teeth pinching the tender skin. When he didn't release him, and dragged his sharp incisors up the pulsing artery, the Alpha lost his insecurity. The electric shiver down his spine, straight to his groin, was thrilling.

"Ughh, Arthur," he moaned, gripping his bruised hips. Arthur winced, and set his hands on Alfred's eager ones. "That's bruised. Lower," he ordered, and guided Alfred to his powerful thighs. The Alpha nodded, stroking and kneading the sleek, powerful muscle beneath his fingertips. Breathing growing heady, and his own need stirring, Alfred bucked back against the older. A possessive need came over him, and Alfred suddenly found his own teeth in Arthur's throat.

Gasping, Arthur then growled a warning, and put a hand on Alfred's chest. He may have been fine with appeasing young curiosity and a novice need to follow instinct, but the Omega was not keen on being marked by this kid. Marks were too possessive for his tastes. Arthur was a wild thing, not someone who could be claimed by a few sloppy hickies.

"No marks."

"B-but you bit me," Alfred protested, looking up at the older blond. The Omega suddenly reared up, having Alfred's arms pinned above his head in an instant, and a knee planted into his stomach. Grunting as breathing became harder and harder the more Arthur pressed, and unable to break his strong grip, Alfred whimpered in defeat.

"Listen, kid. It's for your own safety. Besides, I don't like being marked up. What I don't like, doesn't happen."

"You're lying." Alfred once again forgot his brain-to-mouth filter, regretting it immediately. But it wasn't his fault he could read the Omega like the open pages of crisp, new book. The man may have been able to fool so many with his sly charm, but every word he breathed, Alfred somehow felt resounding in his heart. He divulged every hidden meaning, it seemed.

"You think so?" Arthur growled, his tone a very clear admonishment.

"You hate Alphas, but you're laying on one."

"I told you, I'm horny. That's what you're for."

"I'm just some sex toy then?"

"If that's what you want to call yourself."

"But you fell asleep on me. You didn't tell me to leave, and you still haven't."

"Could you stop trying to make sex philosophical. I was tired from saving your pathetic ass yesterday, nothing more."

"You keep lying, and you think just because I'm some stupid, sex-crazed Alpha I can't see it!"

"Because you can't!" Arthur roared, mere inches from Alfred's face. His emerald eyes were narrowed in anger, but the way he shook ever so faintly exposed so much more for the Alpha beneath him.

"You know nothing," he growled.

"Not yet. You were about to tell me though," Alfred murmured, strangely unafraid.

"There's far too much to say. It's not something you could ever understand," Arthur retorted, easing his grip on the younger's wrists. Alfred literally knew nothing of him. He probably believed Arthur was just another low-breed Omega that happened to be good at getting what he wanted. If only he knew.

"Try me," Alfred returned, his voice strong in earnest, but even; it was a request, not a demand. The older actually found that he liked that. But it didn't change the facts.

"I promise, kid, it's beyond your scope of vision. There is a whole other world out there that most will never see."

"And you're part of it?" Arthur smirked.

"You learn quickly, kid. I'll give you that much. A lot quicker than most. So yes, I am."

"And what's in this world that's so secretive no one can know?"

"Isn't it obvious," Arthur purred, settling once more on Alfred's chest. He pressed his nose to his collar, breathing in his particularly attractive scent.

"No," Alfred breathed out, feeling himself relax as he was allowed to rest beneath the older man again. His nose buried against his neck soothed his frayed nerves from the close conflict that had nearly been a fight. Arthur didn't seem the type to stay angry too long though, which was an immense relief. His myriads of mistakes had warrant a serious verbal thrashing, but he'd managed to avoid it under the apathy of his leader.

"You're being honest?"

"Completely."

"Secrets, kid. Secrets."

"Secrets?"

"All the things they'll never tell you. What happened behind the stage of all the politics and economics and wars. That's the CIA's business of course, but I had a special role to play."

"Then why the hell are you out here?"

"Even the best laid plans go awry from time to time."

"The death of human civilization, that's just a plan going awry?" Alfred growled skeptically, not exactly appreciating being toyed with like this.

"You can look at it that way. Maybe it's exactly on track?"

"You're insane," Alfred huffed out, and sighed loudly in exasperation.

"There is a very fine line between insanity and genius, kid. Some of us walk that line, you know."

"You're just crazy," Alfred insisted.

"What a dull word. I like 'eccentric' much better."

"Whatever," the Alpha snorted. When Arthur didn't retort though, he glanced down at the man. He had his eyes closed, looking peaceful and as pleased and pampered as a spoiled housecat. And the blue-eyed man felt the same strange twinge in his heart return to twist up in his chest. There was no explanation for that feeling, or why it always came about when Arthur was close to him. He'd only known the man a couple days, and already he couldn't explain the way he felt about him. The initial blend of disgust and lust had melded into something much softer, almost a yearning for this man. He was a complete mystery, and he'd be lying if he thought Arthur's earlier words weren't absolute truth. Arthur was enticing, and the vagueness about him just drew Alfred in even more. The fact that the older was quick to pacify with his incredible self control helped as well. Alfred was learning to brave him, instead of shutting up or simply leaving himself to be closed-minded. He could think of Arthur as nothing but a whore with a gun, but that was just a glance at the very tip of the iceberg. Alfred wanted to know what lay beneath the cold, sable-glass waters that surrounded Arthur.

"So..." Alfred tried awkwardly, combing his fingers along the nape of the older's neck. But Arthur didn't speak; he nuzzled closer instead, sending Alfred's heart aflutter.

"Sex first, questions later," Arthur finally answered.

"Oh, right," Alfred amended, having let his curious mind push aside his instinctual needs. "D-do you want to stay like this a-again?" the Alpha asked, growing a bit nervous again. Talking was much easier than trying to please and impress the experienced Omega.

"That'd be nice," Arthur purred, remaining still. He'd long since forgotten how to be eager for sex. It was more of a chore, and he prefered letting an Alpha do the work. Besides, the only point now was to avoid the discomfort of his trembling nerves driving him mad without being bred. There was hardly any pleasure, and his birth control eliminated procreation from his slim list of reasons to let Alfred inside him.

"C-could I- Uh, could I kiss you?" Alfred stammered, kneading lightly at the firm globes of Arthur's ass. His hands moved up to the older's strong shoulders, rolling his thumbs into the unmarked skin to feel the smooth sinew and powerful muscle.

Arthur glanced up at him, shifting and wetting his lips as he pressed them to the Alpha's ear.

"That's rather intimate, don't you think?" he murmured, nibbling at the pliable, sensitive flesh of his earlobe.

"We're already having sex," Alfred argued, breath coming in low pants as arousal built. He had but to simply turn his head, and be flooded with Arthur's amazing scent, the pheromones wafting from his neck incredibly inviting. Doing just that, the Alpha parted his thin lips, and drank in the older's scent. He could almost taste the influx of pheromones as his breath ghosted over the older's tantalizing skin.

"I don't find it intimate," Arthur countered, mirroring the Alpha, and losing his senses in the intoxicating musk of the blue-eyed man.

"Not at all?" he worried.

"Not at all," Arthur parroted, voice firm in confirmation. He wasn't nearly as hazed as the younger's floating voice.

"Why?"

"Get treated like a sex toy long enough, you start feeling like one when you're used. Lifeless."

"That's-"

"You know exactly what it is: life. Get over it, kid. I don't need to be coddled or pitied." Arthur's tone was matter-of-fact, without so much as a drop of wallowing. The man didn't need to. He'd spent an innumerable amount of years trying to blame the rest of the world, yet it had never brought him any comfort. Closing himself off from the emotional investment was much easier, and much safer as well.

"You're a human being, that isn't right..."

"God wasn't kind to me. He didn't make me an Alpha or a Beta. That's all: simple luck-of-the-draw that I wasn't so lucky in."

"That doesn't make it right for those pigs to do what they do to you."

"And what do you think you're doing right now?" Arthur retorted.

"Not that," the Alpha vowed, and the candor in his words was startling. Arthur could only watch in stunned silence as Alfred moved out from beneath him. The Omega grumbled at losing his soft perch, but found the younger carefully gripping his arms, and guiding him back down to the carpeted flooring of the SUV. His palms were turned up non-threateningly as he helped ease the older's sore body down, and coaxed him to lay flat and comfortably.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Arthur watched him sidelong with caution. The emerald-eyed man kept a variety of knives and handguns in his vehicle, and if this kid thought just because he was wounded that he couldn't defend himself, he was very wrong.

"I don't know yet," Alfred admitted with a nervous swallow, "but I hope it helps you, whatever it is."

"I don't need help."

"Maybe not, but I want to."

"And it's always about what an Alpha wants," Arthur huffed before closing his eyes. "Whatever. Do what you want. I've ceased giving a damn."

"Stop twisting my words! I'm trying-"

"No, you're really not. See, if you really wanted to help me, you'd do something for me. You wouldn't be drooling over my ass, and trying to take what you wanted for your pleasure. If you actually cared, I wouldn't be face down to the floor, and being told I need help."

"I'll prove you wrong!" Alfred growled, looming over Arthur, and gazing down at him. The Omega scoffed.

"I dare you."

"Fine."

"Good luck, kid. You won't last," the Omega chuckled dangerously. "You'll give into your instincts like every other animal that _wished _they could dominate me just because they thought they had a special dick."

Alfred furrowed his brows, wanting to lash out in anger. But that was just what Arthur was expecting: he wanted the Alpha to be selfish, to defend himself, to just give up and take what he wanted. And he couldn't deny that he did want the Omega. The urge in the pit of his stomach that surged through his blood white-hot was to bend the older man to him, breed him, and take every ounce of pleasure and power as his natural birthright as an Alpha.

The more he thought of it, the harder it became to slowly hook his fingers beneath the first of the constricting bandages. His palms were clammy, and sweat beaded along his hairline while he peeled apart the gauze to expose the mauled skin. Seeing the stark contrast of once pristine, sleek-as-marble skin of Arthur's face as he watched him to the horrific, blackened damage helped snap him back to cogency. No. That wasn't what he wanted. It was what those other Alphas had taken from Arthur. Alfred wouldn't be like them.

Arthur blinked in surprise, seeing the lust-bound haze lift from the other's bright blue eyes. A fiery determination replaced it, one Arthur hadn't seen during all that drivel about being different from before.

He hummed thoughtfully, actually curious to see what the kid would do. His intelligent eyes watched as the gauze was delicately lifted, and Alfred cupped his palms to the older's shoulder blades. He didn't press, merely gliding his fingers over the tender skin. Fingertips gracing down the small of his back, he fanned his fingers out to smooth over every inch of his back with gentle attention. Alfred swept his hands all along his body, down his arms, kneading his thighs, calves and nape of his neck.

All across his body, sinew trembled and it felt like his entire body ached. Every stroke of his hands sent thrilling sparks of warmth up his arms, fluttering his heart though. The burn of two different desires scorched his insides, and heat pooled in his belly. There was a need to take and breed, and another to protect and support the Omega beneath him.

It was only when Arthur hissed in pain that he was jolted from his delirious thoughts. In his faraway battle inside his head, his hand harshly gripped into the older's damaged hips, his nails leaving deep crescent marks.

"Shit! I'm so sorry!" he gasped out, eyes wide in fear. Arthur loosed an audible sigh of relief as the brutal grip retreated. He moved to try to pull himself away from Alfred, quite done now that his hips throbbed in agony.

"Wait!" Alfred begged, coming over Arthur on all fours, and setting his hands on either side of his head.

"You have three seconds to get off me," Arthur snarled, teeth bared.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" The Alpha amended, quickly sitting back on his knees.

"It's fine," the Omega gusted out. Then he flopped back down, easing as the pulsing pain dimmed back to a dull ache.

"No! No, I didn't mean to," Alfred whispered, bowing to kiss the tender spots on his hips. He felt Arthur tense beneath his lips, the slick muscle flinching.

"What are you doing?"

"I- I d-don't know." Arthur was silent for a moment before he scoffed, feeling his cheeks tint with a coat of dusty pink.

"Well, do it again," he ordered. Alfred felt his spirits rise in excitement. Arthur had liked it, he'd liked the soft kisses to his skin.

"Will you tell me about yourself if I do?"

"Perhaps. It depends on what you want to know."

"Whatever you want to tell me," Alfred encouraged. He pressed his lips to the center of the Omega's back, pressing kisses to the strips of muscle guarding his spine all the way down to the small of his back. By then he was panting hard, the vapor on his breath moistening the soft skin just an inch or so away from his eager mouth. The intense pheromones of his heat slick, pooling down his thighs, wetting the alabaster skin was intoxicating.

Arthur chuckled, feeling the heavy breathing, and knowing Alfred was about to lose it. It had been a fun game, but in the end, Alphas were but victims of their instincts.

A startled gasp left him as the wet muscle of Alfred's tongue lapped between the firm globes of his ass.

"What the-" he looked over his shoulder with his heavy brows furrowed. The younger looked up at him with a guilty look as he licked his lips.

"Sorry... you uh- uh, you taste good. I-I couldn't help it."

"Oh..." Arthur agreed reluctantly, confused in a way he hadn't been before. Alfred thought he _tasted good?_ He wasn't entirely sure how to interpret that, or the strange feeling of having someone licking his heat slick. It hadn't felt bad, per se, just awkward. "Well, err, proceed, I suppose," he permitted, setting his head back down.

Alfred ran his tongue along Arthur's thighs, tasting the residual essence of the pheromone laced, watery tallow. Slowly he licked his way back to the source of the wetness, parting his cheeks to gain access to the hot well.

Arthur moaned quietly at the surprisingly amazing feeling. Alfred's eager tongue delved into him, making him gasp and writhe against the squirming muscle.

"Ugh, kid," he growled, slipping his eyes shut in pleasure.

"Do you like it?" Alfred asked, licking his lips again to taste the lingering slick there. He was excited to hear Arthur's pleasure, and it made his cock twitch with want. It was the first time since he'd come to the CIA that he'd managed to keep Arthur's attention raptly without being scolded. Not to mention he was giving one of the most powerful men in the world no other Alpha had before: his own sexual felicity.

"Uhnn, yeah," Arthur groaned, arms folded before him, and his head resting on the makeshift pillow.

"So talk to me," the blue-eyed Alpha breathed out in a rush. His chest was heaving and his cock strained with want, but he wanted Arthur to open up to him.

"You never told me what you wanted to know."

"Should we start simple?"

"Nothing is simple."

"Not with you it isn't," Alfred muttered. Looping his arm around Arthur's underbelly, he helped him up into his lap. He laid back again, letting Arthur curl back in his lazy lounging on the younger's chest. By now, his cock was weeping precum, and aching to fill the hole his tongue had just been lavishing.

Arthur merely chuckled as the younger arched to press his cock inside. There was certainly something different about this Alpha. His scent was far more appealing than other brutes he'd had the misfortune to share a night with. It made his body feel weak, and the older doubted - for all his threats and ferocity - could stand on his own two feet this drunk on his Alpha pheromones. He had a kind voice as well, one that asked instead of demanded, and encouraged instead of forced. Even his little stutters were endearing. But it was his attentiveness to Arthur's aching soul and abused body that had really impressed the Omega. It wasn't so bad when he had someone to touch him and revel over his sleek figure.

Somehow, the man fought his instincts, and only rocked into Arthur at a gentle pace. The Omega loosed a rumbling purr, enjoying the motions and the way his now stimulated entrance squeezed around the thick shaft slowly pumping into him. As aroused as he had been, and for so long while attending to Arthur, Alfred lasted surprisingly long, as if he were trying to drag out the pleasure.

"Can I, unf- Oh, can I kiss you now?" Alfred gasped out, so close to orgasm.

"You may," Arthur murmured on a whim, not sure why he allowed the man to tenderly press his lips to his own. But he did, and feeling those moist, soft lips made his heart pound against his chest, threatening to shatter through the cage of bones.

Lost in the kiss, it took the Omega a moment to feel Alfred's knot swelling inside him, and his seed pouring into his body. He shivered and clenched around the firm, swollen flesh. His gasp of pleasure broke their kiss, and a deep sigh followed. Relief rushed through his heated blood to cool his body as Alfred's warm seed filled him.

"Oh God," Alfred moaned, pressing his forehead to Arthur's as he shuddered and trembled through the all-over afterglow.

"That's actually quite enjoyable," the Omega complemented. Then he lay his head down to bury his nose into the blue-eyed man's firm neck. They slowly calmed together, resting in silence as the arousal scent dwindled about them.

"Wow, that was way better than before," Alfred commented after a while.

"Mmmm, agreed."

"Y'know, you're pretty good at avoiding talking about yourself," the Alpha teased, feeling light.

"And you're very persistent. I like that though. Alright, you may ask what you want."

"I said I'd start simple, so let's go with that. How old are you?"

"How old do I look?"

Alfred laughed.

"I feel like that's a trick question. You'll get mad if I say you look really young or really old."

Arthur returned the laugh with a sly grin, and stroked Alfred's strong jaw.

"Guess. You'll never get it."

"That a challenge?"

"Most certainly."

"Alright, I guess about twenty-five. You look really young."

"You're off by a mile, kid."

"Thirty?"

"Older."

"Forty?" Alfred asked skeptically.

"Older"

"What! No way, you're lying."

"Want to know what year I was born?"

"It can't be before 2029. There is no way you're older than thirty."

"I was born in 1947."

"WHAT?" Alfred bolted up, jostling the Omega. He winced and shoved Alfred back down, but chuckled around a grimace. The panic and disbelief in the Alpha's eyes was amusing to say the least. explaining this was going to be very interesting to say the least, and wondered just how he'd take the news. "That means- no, no way! That means you're-"

"That's right: one hundred and twelve years old. "

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**Just to give you guys a small clue about the reasoning for Arthur's age: the CIA was officially established in 1947. ;) Let the major plot unraveling begin. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter 7**

**by HellieAce**

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**Reviews**

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**The New Taisho Woman: Heheheeeee~ figured that would surprise you guys.**

**ProNation: I shall slowly explain all, m'dear.**

**MattieWinter: ohonhonhon, side characters shall be revealed as well~ Hehehe, Artie is one fine oldie. xD**

**luvz-blonde-guyz: Eeee thanks!**

**Dark Fenrir: Mysterious plot is mysterious~**

**T E A CRUMPETS: AND I LOVE YOU FOR READING AND REVIEWING!**

**DaifukuBun: xD fuckin' Christmas, man. Gotta love 'em plot twists!**

**Corey5268: He's learning to start letting his instincts lead him, instead of being afraid. ^^**

**HetaliaHour: dhafjewjkwkfw thanks~**

**xBluieLovex: Dooooooooooooooooooooo you now? eheheh we'll see.**

**honey-vanilla11: Awww! Thank you! Alfred really does admire and look up to Arthur as this amazing, untamable creature - something meant to be wild all its life and perfectly beautiful untouched. But that takes a lot of self control on his part.**

**Loeily: Thank you! I really appreciate that!**

**NanaMii148: I AM NOT A GOD, BUT THANK YOU! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE I'm glad you love my characterizations~ They're adorably disfunctional.**

**The Amazing Al: Phew! When I saw it I was like, NO, PLEASE I NEED A NAME! It feels so impersonal to me if I can't thank someone by name for a lovely review. I love that you notice the details and thought I try to put behind characters to make them real. :3**

**Pengwens: Does anyone really expect that bombshell I dropped? xDDD**

** .cornflower: Arthur really does have to be a douche. Survival doesn't exist if you can't tell the world to fuck off.**

**Laruna SilverFox: *snorts* cougar... *dies***

**Hada-Fiction: BOMBSHELL ENDINGS FTW :3**

**01blackcat02: Deep plot yissss~~**

**El Tord: Secret to aging ~ Arthur will never tell xD**

**FireBreathingNinja: Hheeh, glad you enjoyed.**

**eAecrying: SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK xD**

**Guest: So gewd. Thanks. :3**

**Lisacreature: xD Maybe...? Read on, dear, read on! And thank you! I do try for good smuts.**

**Tela: Aww! Thank you, love! You're a doll for such a sweet comment!**

**Twerkwihmepls: Hahaha, if I say you could be like 1/4 right, how does that make you feel? xD**

**Lunar Iris: He really will be a good agent, and a suitable mate for Arthur. One day (lol, it is too cute that you stopped mid chapter to review, then review again at the end. You're adorable, and thank you!).**

**Rini-San: I tried watching Free! Kinda too happy for me. I like dark stuff (I say as I write Hetalia fanfics). But I'm gonna start SnK soon! ^^**

**Trahnael: Ahahah! That's so adorable! It's like a drug~ xD And high five for CoD fans! I love finding you rare folks in this fandom!**

**Midnight Run inthe Rain: EEeeee~ good!**

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**Chapter 7**

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"B-but how?" Alfred squawked in disbelief.

"It's a secret," Arthur purred, cradling his cheek to his palm as he smirked down smugly at the younger.

"What?" the Alpha gasped, eyes wide. He couldn't just blow it off as a secret. Arthur couldn't just drop a bomb like that and expect a perfectly rational acceptance of 'it's a secret' from Alfred.

"Well, it's not a secret anymore if I tell you, is it?"

"N-no, but-"

"But nothing."

"How do you expect me to take that? I mean- it's impossible!"

"Clearly not, considering I'm still breathing," Arthur chimed. "And I expect you to take it like an Alpha, and quiet your whimpering. You're knotted in the a man who could kill in the blink of an eye. It's unbecoming to simper."

"Sorry, it's just so damn weird!"

"Fact is always stranger than fiction, kid."

"So you're seriously one hundred and twelve years old?"

"Yes."

"And you won't tell me how the hell that's possible?"

"I may, in due time."

"What's due time?"

"It all depends on you. If you're worthy, I'll tell you."

"And if I'm not?"

"Then you'll die in the dark," Arthur purred, a Cheshire grin on his lips that sent a shiver down Alfred's spin.

"You are definitely insane," Alfred insisted. 'Eccentric' be damned, this man was a lunatic with a large gun collection and one hundred and twelve years to master them all. And as if to prove that in those many years, he'd simply accepted that fact, Arthur shrugged.

Seeing Alfred fretting over this though, the Omega laid back down to bury his nose in his neck. He felt the man beneath him breathe a sigh of relief as the conversation subsided into a quiet calm.

"I'm still confused," Alfred commented after his knot subsided. He felt an urge to disengage from the older, but his curiosity was as insatiable as ever, and rooted him to the spot.

Arthur blew out an exasperated sigh, rustling his golden bangs. But he couldn't blame Alfred. he had been fairly vague, and really hadn't done much to prove his age.

"I suppose I can tell you a little."

The Alpha perked up at that, eager for information. Any kind of explanation would do at this point. It was already an unbelievable statement, so unbelieveable proof wouldn't be far fetched in the slightest. Arthur chuckled at the younger's wide-eyed enthusiasm for the coveted information.

"My father was part of the formation of the OSS - the Office of Strategic Service - which served as the predecessor of the CIA. My mother was in the BSC - the British Security Coordination - that helped trained the newly formed American intelligence agency inside the Canadian border."

"That's how you came about, I'm guessing?"

"Yes, just later in the story," he said, gaze flickering from Alfred's for a moment. The Alpha watched the motion of a nervous swallow before the Omega picked right back up as if nothing had bothered him. These little perceptions were quickly becoming too frequent for Alfred's liking. It was like everything Arthur said was a lie, and he made no attempt to make a guise to hide it from the blue-eyed man. Or maybe Arthur was just so good at lying to the people he knew, that he didn't bother with effort anymore. But they weren't really lies. More like truth riddled with holes and endless loops. They were just simple statements too, which peeved Alfred. Why hide at all? What could possibly be so bad? Arthur was one hundred and twelve, surely being immortal was a gift, something to revel in.

"So what happened next?"

"What- this isn't some bedtime story!"

"So! You can't just stop there! What happened?"

"I- I don't remember all the details, but I can't remember life _not _being in the CIA. I was raised by the company, trained to be a perfect agent. No outside relations to distract me, no people to be used as leverage against me, a mind trained to think only like an agent."

"That's miserable," Alfred interrupted on a whimper, carding his fingers back through Arthur's hair. The older furrowed his brows, never really having thought about it as anything other than just his life.

"It wasn't awful. The other agents were nice to me. It wasn't like I was neglected. I just had an extended family from birth, and a purpose set before me."

"So-" A knock interrupted Alfred, and the older blond sat up. Glancing out the window, he saw it was Elise, and motioned her inside. He hadn't heard her leave earlier, but Elise was quite stealthy, so it wasn't much of a surprise.

The woman opened the door to peek inside. Her expression was soft upon seeing Arthur's sleek muscles relaxed beneath his light skin. The Omega practically glowed, and she smiled at the two.

"I see you both are having fun," she teased, a playful glimmer in her bright eyes.

While Alfred blushed profusely, Arthur grinned back at her, patting the younger's chest.

"He's not half bad."

"Hey!" Alfred whined, quite sure he had done pretty damn well seeing as he'd just had the leader of the CIA contentedly in bliss on his chest.

"Don't squawk, kid," Arthur chided with a smug smirk before looking back to Elise. "Did you need something Elise?"

"Well, some of it is for your ears only, but it can wait. Besides that, the medical team has cleared Romano of any signs of infection, and everyone injured has been tended to."

Arthur had concerns about the first part of Elise's statement, but she hadn't looked at him any different than before. It was safe to assume it wasn't life-threatening at the moment, but he'd have to get back to his second-in-command about it later.

"Excellent. Then let's get moving. We've lingered too long as it is."

"Are you sure? There's still time to raid the pharmacies."

"No, this city is too large. We need to stay away from places like this. Already we've had close encounters I don't wish to see repeated."

"But your birth control-"

"There's still plenty," Arthur quickly closed the topic. He hated being reminded of his dependency of the red serum. Without it, he was defenseless against the pack of lusty Alphas that wouldn't mind taking advantage of the Omega without the added control Arthur gained from the injection. And being burdened by a child only would have added a crippling insult to his injury. Arthur wasn't even sure he could bear the shame of losing control to some mindless, uncaring dog fucking him. "Let's just get moving."

"Very well," Elise settled in resignation. But even from on the floor, Alfred could see the way she white-knuckled the door frame before she ducked out to be in the driver side seat. She was one of the few that actually cared for Arthur's well-being, despite his harshness and curt, clipped words.

Breathing out a sigh, Arthur returned his attention to the Alpha beneath him. He felt his lip twitch at the way Alfred looked up at him, blue eyes filled with concern.

"Wipe that stupid look off your face, kid," Arthur growled. He would not be some pity-party loser to this inexperienced Alpha.

"That canister barely has anything in it," Alfred commented, voice low at the roughness of Arthur's tone. "And you haven't taken it today, have you?"

"So what if I haven't? Not like it's going to deter you, is it?"

"Arthur, that's dangerous and you know it!"

"Shut the hell up, kid. I know what I'm doing. This stuff lingers in the system for a while. I don't need it every day. That's a waste." Arthur's tone was entirely flat, and Alfred knew the passion for his own health was long gone from the man who had lived too long. The lack of bite was more frightening than Alfred would have imagined.

"It says to take it daily... Please take the medicine," Alfred pleaded softly. Why he felt so compelled for this man, he didn't know, but he didn't fight it. "Please?"

The emerald-eyed man locked eyes with him, suspicious chartreuse to concerned cerulean.

From the front seat, Elise glanced back, watching the two, though she didn't speak up. She had spent many a nights begging Arthur to actually care about himself and his reckless misuse of his birth control. The man didn't like to be a bother or trouble the people that looked up to him, and often would forgo pharmacy raids due to risks to the team. He wanted to be strong and admirable without admitting his human weakness of being a fertile Omega.

But this time she felt her heart flutter in surprised joy as Arthur's gaze softened, and he reached for the canister of birth control. The Omega injected himself with the last of the serum, and glared up at Alfred in a mixture of defeat and embarrassment that he'd caved in to some kid's emotional pleading.

"Thank you," Alfred whispered, pulling Arthur back down on him.

Elise giggled and turned her eyes back to the road when she heard the younger yelp. She presumed Arthur had likely bitten his skin or pinched him in revenge before the two settled. She pulled the vehicle into formation with the convoy, driving beside the medical truck as they rolled down the long, empty highway through the Nevada desert.

With his fingers absently grooming through Arthur's hair, Alfred's gaze lingered on the ceiling of the SUV. He was still confused, and fretting over the fact he knew Arthur could hear how erratic his heartbeat was as his thoughts clashed. The fluttering against his ribs was just as conflicting. Alfred hardly knew why his mind raced, or why his heart was betraying him, but it had something to do with the Omega resting on his front.

"You're thinking about something interesting," Arthur quipped, smirking devilishly as the affectionate muscle beating rapidly beneath him.

"You," Alfred blurted out, instantly regretting his unconsidered actions. He clapped a hand over his mouth, fretting as he he dared to look down at the Omega. He groaned upon meeting smugly narrowed eyes and coy grin.

"Oh? Do tell," Arthur purred dangerously.

"N-nothing."

"Liar," Arthur teased, leaning up to loom above the younger. He ghosted his hot breath on the blue-eyed man's dry lips, looking like a hungry predator cat.

Thinking fast, the Alpha deduced the quickest excuse for thinking of the CIA leader. It wasn't his brightest or proudest moment though.

"Why?"

"What?" Arthur tipped his head, and cocked a brow in confusion. He'd been expecting something stupid, but he'd assumed it'd be more akin to a first crush confession or anything equally as useless.

"Err, why-"

"Why, _what_ exactly?"

"Um, uh- why are you out here? This convoy, what's the purpose?"

Blinking in surprise a moment at the genuine inquiry, Arthur settled back down, and was quiet for awhile. Alfred was shifting nervously, thinking he'd asked something that Arthur thought too simple to even answer. He only stilled when Arthur clipped his teeth at Alfred's neck, and the younger knew to ease.

"I'm looking for something," Arthur finally answered, having been pondering the best way to explain this. "Specifically, I am looking for a certain place."

"A place? Why not look on a map then?"

The Omega shook his head.

"It's not that simple. This place... some say it doesn't exist. In fact, most people don't believe it does."

"What, like Never Never Land?" Alfred asked innocently. The deadly glare he received wasn't so innocuous though, and the Alpha audibly gulped.

"No. This isn't some child's imaginary playground!" Arthur snarled. Alfred instantly had his hands up in the universal sign of surrender as his only self-defense. The pitiful look of remorse on the younger's face soothed the Omega's annoyance though, and he quieted his voice to explain.

"When the CIA was still... a respectable, standing organization, we knew of plans for special city-like bunkers hidden deep beneath the Earth. Many governments had plans for them, actually. There was one beneath the Kremlin, one beneath Scotland Yard, one beneath Ottawa, and various other locations. These places... when the world teetered on the edge of World War Three, were called the only safe places for human civilization should Hell descend. But when the infection broke out, these places were sealed off, infected themselves, or destroyed by the madness of the assumed apocalypse. Except for one."

"Just one?" Alfred murmured, mesmerized by the lull of Arthur's drawling voice as he spoke of forgotten worlds beneath the surface.

"That's all we know of at the time. There could be more. But the rest of the world is black to us. We're lucky if the old radios pick up distress signals still circulating from years ago. At the time, the last known place was in Atlanta, Georgia, under the CDC headquarters: the city-bunker called Mercy."

"You went there, didn't you? That's why you guys and the CDC don't get along, isn't it?"

Arthur nodded slowly, his emerald eyes hazed as he thought of time that seemed so far away.

"We arrived, hoping and praying that the CDC would take pity on what remained of us. We were so wrong. They turned their guns on us, slaughtered us like sheep. We had to flee, running like cowards in shame with bullets at our heels."

"But why?" Alfred murmured, grasping the older's shoulders. The burning image of Arthur running for his life was seared across his vision as he met those deep pools of chartreuse; eyes that met him with an unfathomable inner pain

"We were but rats to them: disease carrying, worthless rats. There was no room in Mercy for us. And so we were to be eliminated, lest we become zombies as well."

"What did you do?"

"We roamed. Surviving as best we could. Through rumors and a few radio broadcasts, we heard of Mercy finally being overrun, and the CDC fleeing to the West Coast. That's when it became a race to find another city-bunker. It was the CIA or the CDC. We both couldn't exist in this world because the city-bunker called 'Comfort' was discovered beneath Hollywood."

"They beat you to it."

"Indeed they did. They had resources they took from Mercy, while we had been dwindling on what remained of our exodus from Langley, Virginia."

"Then you found me, and here's where we are?"

"Mostly, yes. We went up and down the coast for a bit, but the redwood forests are swarmed with savage, infected animals. It's not safe, and neither is most of the game to eat. But while we were under the noses of the CDC, my agents did manage to flush out some information."

"Yeah?" Alfred breathed, not having realized he'd pulled Arthur closer, feeling as if somehow that would comfort him.

"There is another city-bunker... one called 'Haven'" Arthur mumbled the words, looking away. He shirked Alfred's touch as well, ashamed that he hadn't discovered this sooner, and spared so many lives and hardships. "The last city-bunker in America is Haven. And because of my ignorance, we're two thousand miles from the one place we sought all along."

"Hey," Alfred spoke softly, though Arthur wouldn't meet his eyes, "c'mon, look at me."

"No," Arthur refused, the single denial drenched in venom. "I don't need your pity or your pep talk. I fucked up, end of story. I'm going to fix it now."

"It's not your fault!" Alfred protested.

"Of course it's my fault! I'm their goddamned leader! I'm supposed to _lead _them the _right _way!"

"You may be their leader, but it's still a team! They obviously didn't know either!"

"I am the best of the best. I should have known," Arthur growled, shoving himself off of Alfred. The older grimaced as his mauled back protested the movement, but managed to climb into the front seat beside Elise. "So fuck you," Arthur shot back a final time before settling.

Alfred sighed, watching as Elise yanked the Omega's hair as a reprimand, and scolded him. The resounding yelp and swearing protest she utterly ignored though.

"Stop that! No one blames you. There was no way you could have known," she hissed.

"The knowledge should have been in there. It's just not coming back to me as quickly as I hoped."

"It will, Arthur. It will."

"You can't be sure, and until it's a guarantee, I won't be satisfied. Now drop it." The order was resolute, and Elise had no choice but to obey. She offered Alfred a shrug of apology. Honestly, she felt bad for the young Alpha. He looked lost and defeated, sitting all alone in the hatch. Arthur had left him cold and naked without any sort of guidance.

"Get some sleep, Alfred," she attempted. The younger gave her a defeated nod before reaching for a tattered sheet, and wrapping it around himself. Watching him settle on his side from the rear-view mirror, she made sure he'd gotten comfortable before looking to Arthur.

The Omega was curled up in the front seat, head leaned against the window with his legs tucked under him. She could see he was uncomfortable, shifting his aching hips frequently and shivering on occasion.

"Go back to him," Elise muttered after a few hours of having to listen to Arthur's soft whines that he tried to mask. Driving the pitch-black road without a sign of human life in sight was already frazzling her nerves. These long stretches were both obnoxious and ungodly irritating. And listening to the Omega shuffling and whining like a tortured animal was not helping, especially considering it was her best friend and leader.

"I don't need him."

"Well, I can't help you."

"Who said I needed help?" Arthur growled, curling up tighter, knees to his chest.

"No one, Arthur, but you can't deny what you are-"

"I am the leader of the CIA. I am one hundred and twelve years old. I have lived through brutal wars, vicious torture, and inhumane slaughter done to me and all around me. And I am still bested by my own body. So fuck you, Elise. I'm not in the mood to have to have some kid's cock up my ass to feel better."

Elise grit her teeth, and huffed through her clenched jaw.

"Fine." She gave up. Arthur was always moody on his heat, but lately it had been getting much worse. Setback after setback was seriously beginning to dampen the smug confidence and brazen aloofness of the Omega. He was still cocky, but when it was just them, and Elise could see him shivering, and trembling, it was a whole other side of Arthur.

"Just don't give up," she murmured, "we'll get your memory back, and then everything will be okay. We'll find Haven when you do. And then we'll be safe."

"And we'll die out here if your stupid little fantasy doesn't come true."

"I swore I'd stay by your side until we could get your memory back. And maybe we will die, but that doesn't mean giving up is acceptable."

"I'm not," Arthur growled. "My mind may hold the map to more city-bunkers. But I know for sure the location of Haven is in here," he said, tapping his temple lightly. "I just know. There's something so familiar about it. The second I heard the name, I felt something."

"Good," Elise agreed, voice making it very clear that she wasn't taking any other answer. "That's what I like to hear."

The Omega nodded silently, and let his mind drift off. His body was sore and craving, and the scent of not one, but two Alpha's in such close proximity wasn't helping. Thankfully, he was so familiar with Elise's scent, and the lack of attraction to it, that it didn't bother him much. On the other hand, after having mated a few times recently with Alfred, his body picked up the stronger pheromones. Skin crawling, the Omega miserably continued to fight off his urges. He sweated profusely, joints aching and blood practically burning his insides. The wet heat slick that trickled from him soaked his backside and thighs, just adding to his discomfort.

"Arthur," Elise started, her leader's scent, shaking and whimpers driving her mad, "I swear, if-"

"Fine!" he shouted, startling Alfred awake.

"Huh?" the bleary-eyed Alpha squeaked, eyes darting about. As his vision cleared, he saw Arthur climbing into the back hatch with him. The Omega practically draped himself on Alfred, looking weary and crestfallen before burying his nose in the younger's neck. Maybe he could ease his mind and body if he were simply too drunk on Alpha pheromones to care anymore?

"Tired?" Alfred mumbled, already losing out to his body's natural reaction to such a potent Omega scent and its source clinging to him. He could be polite though, knowing Arthur had been fighting this off.

"Very," the emerald-eyed man returned, voice muffled by Alfred's soft neck. He was shivering uncontrollably on the younger's chest.

"Here," Alfred tried, swallowing hard. He shifted so he could wrap the sheet around Arthur as well. It wouldn't do much for his trembling, but it made Alfred feel better. Of course, when the CIA commander furrowed his brows, and palmed his groin to signal exactly what he wanted, Alfred shuddered.

"Right, s-sorry," he stammered, the rough hand on his groin quickly disabling his articulacy. He shifted to have his legs up to allow him to still have at Arthur, and still allow the older to rest on his front. His badly bruised back was still an issue the Alpha wouldn't press. He still owed the man his life, after all.

The quiet, but assuaged sigh that left the Omega brought a smile to Alfred's thin lips. Feeling the man above him ease, and settle comfortably as he thrust into the warm, wet heat pleased his natural Alpha instincts. The little moans, sighs and pleased grunts helped as well, along with the light way Arthur pressed back on his cock was satisfying just as well.

"Uhnn, Al," Arthur purred, beyond alleviated as he felt the younger's knot begin to swell inside him. Alfred gripped him tightly in response, unable to resist his urge, and lightly bit into the older's shoulder. He wanted to mark, and claim this Omega for all the times he'd been denied so far.

"I said no marks," the older snarled, pulling back on his scalp roughly to force Alfred to release him. The younger yelped in pain, instantly lashing out, and shoved Arthur beneath him. Tied together by the Alpha's knot, both grimaced in pain as the rough motion yanked on where they were bound together.

"Get off!" Arthur roared, feeling trapped. His ire seemed to pierce the haze on Alfred, and the younger instantly backed down, whimpering meekly.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Arthur!"

"I don't want you over me," the Omega hissed. "I don't like this. Get off."

"I can't, we're knotted."

"I know that, you dumb-fuck! J-just move or something!" Arthur faltered, starting to feel panic claw at his chest. Face down, arms pinned and an Alpha above him was terrifying. It left him cornered and vulnerable, too weak and too open. "Get off!"

"I'm sorry-"

"Alfred, just lay on your side," Elise called back, turning upon hearing the pain and fear in her leader's voice. She bit her lip as Arthur started to thrash, and had half a mind to halt the convoy to help the tortured Omega.

"Here, Arthur, please," Alfred begged, getting his arm around the squirming and swearing Omega's chest to help him onto his hip. The movement was awkward and painful, but as he held the older tightly as they spooned. The man struggled, and a bolt of fear struck Alfred as he saw Arthur reaching for a knife mounted on the side panel of the hatch.

"Wait! Please, I won't hurt you. Just relax, it's okay!"

"Fuck off! Let me go!"

"Sshhhh, Arthur," he whispered against his neck, heart aching with guilt for the outburst that had startled the emerald-eyed man. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"I swear to god if you do not get your filthy hands off me-" he was abruptly silenced by a soft kiss capturing his lips. His first instinct was to fight, but he found that Alfred had released him, and now only settled his hands on the older's sides. Being tied to Alfred kept him still, but mentally relief washed over him. The lack of a controlling grip on his arms was an immediate pacifier. But the gentle invitation to the kiss soothed his frayed nerves even more.

"I'm sorry. I would never try to hurt you," Alfred whispered against the older's lips. The sincerity of the vow caught the CIA commander off guard, as did so many things about this strange, young Alpha. Panting quietly, his breath stolen by confusion and honest words, Arthur barely found his voice.

"A-alright," he murmured, tamed and passive for a moment. He wished he could say the same for his racing heart though. It thundered so hard in his chest that it physically hurt the older, and he had to settle back down again.

Elise kept glancing back through the rear mirror, watching in trepidation that Arthur would relapse again as Alfred wrapped his arms around him again. Yet nothing of the sort occurred. Arthur kept quiet, even letting his eyes slip shut when Alfred nuzzled into his neck.

A soft, warm pang clutched at her chest, and her smile was quite genuine. Arthur was a bit infamous for actually cutting or wounding Alpha's that dared try to overpower him like that. She'd sent a few away with bad gouges from defensive bites and slashes from razor-sharp knives. But she was thankful that Arthur had recognized something in the blue-eyed Alpha that had spared him such. The only reason for it wasn't hard for someone on the outside to deduce. She'd never seen a frightened Omega - like Arthur had been - relax like that to an Alpha unless they were-

But her thought was cut off by the static growl of the dashboard radio.

"Elise, there's something up ahead." The voice was undoubtedly Ivan's, and not even the poor quality of the transmission could mask his concern.

"What is it?" she responded, after pressing the talk button installed into the dashboard's screen. Her stomach felt like it had sunken into a pit with the nauseating way it dropped.

"Looks like a roadblock. I don't like the looks of it."

"I have a bad feeling too."

"Bank left. We'll go around. I'll inform the others."

But Elise doubted Ivan even had the chance to change the radio channel.

There was a violent shake beneath the earth, and a shockwave that rattled the SUV. In the rearview mirror, Elise watched as a column of fire and smoke went up where their vehicle had been moments ago. The SUV behind them barely swerved out of the way, but the hiss of fired RPGs burned the air, and more explosions tore open the road.

"CDC..." Arthur snarled, as he leaned up, ignoring the terrified Alpha clinging to him. From the side windows, he could see the moonlit shadows of figures around the road, their launchers being reloaded for another barrage against the CIA convoy.

"Take that hard left, get off the road!" Arthur ordered. There only hope was to use the armored SUVs as a means to escape.

A hail of bullets battered the glass and side panels, raining down hell as the female Alpha turned the wheel hard, already seeing the convoy beginning to scatter.

"Radio. Now!" he barked, and Elise pitched back the plugged in handheld back at her leader. Switching to the open channel, the Omega barked orders as if he were an able field commander, instead of a wounded man knotted to an Alpha.

"All units, close in around the tankers. Do not break convoy. Bank left, and stay off the road. This is a CDC attack." Setting the radio down, he reached for his gun, and glanced back at Alfred. Wide-eyed, the man looked as inexperienced as he first had the moment Arthur had found him cowering in a broken home.

"This is what the world has come to kid. It's not just humans versus zombies. This is survival. Now grab your gun."

"But how the hell a-are we supposed t-to fight?"

"You've got a natural talent. Use it. If anyone tries to get in this vehicle that doesn't belong to us. Shoot them. Aim to kill, kid."

"Arthur," Elise interjected urgently, "look!"

Leaning up on his elbow, Arthur snarled. The CDC agents at the roadblock were mounting motorcycles, and quickly speeding towards the fleeing convoy.

"Goddamn it, they had to have known we were coming!" Arthur growled, clutching his weapon tighter.

"But how?" Elise shot back, maneuvering around a flipped SUV as another RPG was launched, sending it into the air. The ground shook, and the debris shattered the side window, making Alfred jolt in fear. His jerking motion sent a slash of pain down the older's spine, but he had to ignore it.

A CDC motorcycle rushed by, its rider brandishing a machine pistol and unloading a volley of bullets at the weakened glass, sending the shards crashing down on the two. Pushing up on his hands, ignoring the way the glass sliced into his hands, Arthur raised his gun and attempted shooting the rider as he whirled the bike around to try again.

"Get down!" Elise ordered, and jerked the wheel as the bike came parallel to the SUV. The armor siding slammed into the rider, sending him crashing into the ground with the machine crushing him as it spun out in the dust.

"We have to get out of h-"

An RPG struck the ground just before their vehicle, the shock-waves sending it off course. Fire and smoke rushed through the destroyed windows, searing the insides as the SUV went down on its side, the wheels still spinning.

As the smoke cleared, Alfred coughed miserably. By some instinct, he'd wrapped his arms around Arthur before the vehicle had been thrown. The blast had pitched them against the wall, where they were crumpled in a heap. Arthur was unconscious, but the Alpha was curled around his body, fretting as he saw blood beginning to dampen the older's hair, and pour down his face.

"Arthur! Arthur, c'mon, wake up!" Alfred panicked, shaking the Omega to no avail. The blood just continued to soak his sun-colored hair, painting it in a sickly crimson.

"Elise!" he begged, but whimpered as he turned to see her still form slumped in the driver's seat. The airbag had deployed, and blood smeared across the white fabric.

Alfred felt the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, moist little pearls embodying the terror he felt as the world collapsed around him.

"Arthur..." he choked, burying his nose into the Omega's hair, and squeezed his eyes shut. The tears trickled down his cheeks as he clung to and sobbed against the older man. Explosions, screams and gunshots still polluted the air with a cacophonous roar of destruction all around.

"K-kid..." Arthur murmured, slowly coming to. His warm scent all around him was poisoned by the reek of fear and burning, but it was there all the same.

"Arthur!" Alfred hugged him closer. "Are y-you okay?"

"Yeah, ughh-" he moaned, and made the mistake of trying to shift. A choked cry of pain escaped his throat, tearing free and terrifying Alfred. But his concern had to be short lived.

The night flooded into the back of the SUV as the back hatch was pried open, and gas-masked covered faces of a pair of CDC agents appeared. They brandished assault rifles, and their bloodied clothes looked freshly painted from the slaughter, soot and visceral splattered across them. Their breathing came as harsh growls through their masks, but they said nothing as they reached for the battered pair.

Arthur growled, but was too weak to even reach for his gun, and trepidation paralyzed Alfred. They grabbed the two, hauling them roughly to the edge even as Arthur did his best to kick and thrash. Still knotted together, the rude handling was extremely painful, but the Omega's stomach twisted in fear as the CDC agents sneered.

"Boss wants Kirkland separated from his crew. Didn't think he meant like this," one growled disdainfully.

"Can't go against orders," the other said with a wicked, awful glee in his voice as he planted his boot on Arthur's arm, crushing it against the edge of the hatch. The first grabbed the squirming, crying Alfred, and ripped him from the Omega.

The awful scream that left Arthur broke Alfred's heart. His knot tore free of the older, making him writhe in pain, but couldn't even fathom the agony for Arthur. The older slumped to the ground, tears in his eyes, and blood pouring from his torn entrance. The sensitive flesh had been split, and Arthur sobbed and whimpered.

"ARTHUR!" Alfred screamed, shattering as the powerful man that commanded a small army was roughly pinned, bound, and gagged like a rabid animal. The pain in his groin still stabbed him, but the cracking in his heart was worse. He could only watch as they dragged Arthur away, still struggling and bleeding horribly.

"Arthur!" Alfred cried again, as he was bound as well, and hauled off in the opposite direction by the second agent.

"Alfred..." Arthur called back, voice breaking from his screams and blistering throat. "Al..." he whimpered one last time before succumbing to the dark bliss of unconsciousness.

* * *

**Eeeesh, painful cliffy again guys, sorry!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ashes to Ashes**

**Chapter 8**

**by Hellieace**

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**Reviews**

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**Corey5268: No he's def not good about his meds. But oh yes, you shall learn, and i hope to wrench your heart with that experience. Heh.**

**Pengwens: :(**

**InvaderPey: Distressed, are we? xD**

**Dark Fenrir: Arthur is too naive to understand how agonizing eternity really is. =/**

**Nanamii148: *hands you tissues* Sorry?**

**Guest: Let it. It is a glorious life to live, friend.**

**buttercup. and. cornflower: Awww! Thank you! I like leaving the bonding aspect vague. I want it to slowly creep up, and when these dolts realize it, it'll be that much more sweet and exactly what they need in life. :)**

**lisacreature: Pain, disappointment, horror, loss - basically hell on Earth for poor Art. But there are good times and bad too.**

**Laruna Silver Fox: It really is :(**

**TheAmazingAl: *sits you down* Calm, darling, all shall be revealed in due time~**

**DaifukuBun: Y'all gonna have to learn to deal with cliffies better xD**

**Blackcat: heheh i love a good shroud of mystery**

**kelly: He's not /totally/ useless. He's a pretty convenient heat reliever for Art? xD**

**FBN: welp, sorry not sorry xD**

**nikkicchi: NOPE I WILL NOT LET THIS TURN INTO ANOTHER OF MY FAILED ATTEMPTS TO WRITE A FIC AND THEN NEVER UPDATE IT.**

**zoewinter1: My one true love is a good cliffhanger**

**El Tord: one step forward, seven thousand nine hundred and eighty four steps back **

**Kyle: Thank you, dear! ^^**

**Rune101: Wow, just wow! Thank you. I really pride myself in the characterizations. Even if they are premade, and established, twisting their personalities to the grim darkness around them is both a challenge and extremely rewarding. I'm really glad you found this, dear! Thank you again!**

**Loeily: hahaha, Hey, fallout was a good game, all of them xD it's a neat concept I don't mind borrowing a few times. **

**Guest 2: Very painful indeed. :(**

**Trahnael: Yeah, gotta come out of the SUV sooner or later xD EEEEEE you like Ivan! ^^**

**Lunar Iris: heheh strange pillow talk is actually really fun to write, not gonna lie. xDD But I love taking you guys by surprise, I really do!**

**angleterre: wait... you screenname... OI, I KNOW YOU FROM TUMBLR! You're an amazing artist! Ahhhhh! Eeee, thank you for reading~**

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**Chapter 8**

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The gray darkness that lingered around Arthur's vision slowly cleared, but the intense throbbing in his head certainly didn't. Groaning, the Omega blinked in hopes of focusing his eyes.

The room he found himself in the corner of was dilapidated, made of crumbling and soot-stained concrete. Rusted spires of rebar jutted out from cracked pillars and the splintered ground. The only light came from small, makeshift lamps powered by an electric generator that hummed in the opposite corner. And Arthur was quite sure, despite the poor lighting, that the suspicious stains splattering the walls were blood.

But the Omega couldn't shake the sense of deja vu that creeped up on his mind. This place was familiar, and yet Arthur knew he'd never been here before. The room was so plain, nothing distinguishable to remind him of anything. It didn't make sense.

Arthur gave a sudden shudder at chill in the room, but also the uncomfortable way his lower body ached as he came to. Memories rushed back to him - being pleasantly knotted to Alfred, just enjoying the natural comfort his body took from the Alpha filling him. Then the violent attack and crash that had sent the vehicle flipping on its side... the awful, traumatizing pain of being ripped apart, and watching the naive Alpha be dragged off, kicking and screaming for him. But not the memory of this place.

His lips curled in a grimace, and uncomfortably, he shifted his legs. Dried blood, slick and Alfred's seed were pasted to the back of his thighs, but the vast majority of it was blood from the violent tearing. Wincing, Arthur did his best to fold his legs to find something more comfortable for his sore body, but nothing helped. The cold concrete scratched his hips, and every motion sent little slivers of pain shooting up his spine.

He was still dressed the way he'd been dragged in: his suit jacket comfortably framing his shoulders, tie loose about his neck, and bare from the waist down where Alfred had shucked his pants long ago.

Shifting up on his bare hip, the Omega ignored the rough scrape of concrete against thin skin and bone. His bleary eyes took in his surroundings more acutely, and registered the fact that there were tall bars that separated him from the rest of the room. He was in a cell, and a filthy one at that.

With a haughty sneer at the condition around him Arthur checked himself for any other injuries he might have sustained. But besides black bruising on his back and the throbbing pain from his torn entrance, the Omega found himself mostly unscathed.

"You're awake."

Arthur's gaze shot up. He hadn't heard a single step or the scrape of treads against the concrete. Whoever spoke either was skilled enough to move silently, or had been in the room the entire time. Arthur could have believed either with how familiarity rang in the thickly accented voice.

"Observant as ever," Arthur retorted, teasing at the fringes of a hunch. He knew this voice, but from where? And why couldn't he put a name or face to it?

"So you remember me?" the voice asked, tone ever neutral - exactly as Arthur recalled.

"Not entirely."

"It's been many years."

"My memory doesn't age, remember? The data should be as crystal clear as it was the day it was embedded. Why don't I know you?"

"Pardon. I forget you are like us sometimes. You act too human."

"_Too human?_ You say it as if there's something wrong with that," Arthur quipped.

"It's not what you are."

"But it's who I am," Arthur retorted, pulling himself up by the bars. "And you didn't answer my question."

"Your memory is hidden from you."

"But why?"

"I do not know. That information is not my privilege. Go to the source. You will find answers at the source if you can find it."

Arthur scoffed, leaning his shoulder against the rusty bars. Of course the answer had to be entirely vague without any kind of clear direction. That was just Arthur's luck.

"Care to explain?"

"You should know."

Rolling his eyes, the Omega began to grow annoyed by these assumptions of the familiarly unknown voice.

"You will find what you seek. If you are like us, you will."

"You keep saying 'us', but who the hell is that?"

"Ludwig, don't be so rude. Taunting Mr. Kirkland is so uncouth," another voice chimed, this one much higher, but it had a pompous air about it. The click of boot heels accompanied the second man's voice, and Arthur's keen eyes watched the sway of darkness as the figure approached.

The moment those violet eyes caught the light, and the smug smirk lit up the figure's pale face, Arthur gasped.

"You... I know you..." he whispered in disbelief And the memories came crashing on him in a blur of nostalgia and pain.

* * *

"_But why?" Arthur whined, crossing his arms before his chest._

"_Because the data is inconclusive, you obnoxious brat!" Roderich growled, trying to write down his numbers into his charts peacefully. Only his experiment was being obnoxious and oh-so-humanly needy. _

"_I hate these damned tests though."_

"_If you'd just follow instructions, it wouldn't have to be redone!"_

"_It hurt, you bastard!"_

"_Exactly why we have to test; you shouldn't be able to feel pain!"_

"_Well I do, and I'm not doing it again!"_

"_You don't have a choice!" Roderich whirled around in his chair, meeting the defiant glare that certainly had not been programmed into Arthur. Where he developed so many human characteristics, the doctor didn't know, but it pissed him off. His prior experiments had been perfectly obedient - why did he have to be brought to this barbaric American laboratory? Twenty years in this damned place and he had still not recovered the advances of his life's work back in Germany. It had all been destroyed in the Nazis' last ditch attempt to bay the Allies from discovering their secrets. _

"_So make me!" Arthur snarled, balling his hands into fists. An eighteen-year-old Arthur Kirkland was more than a handful. And Roderich sighed repugnantly seeing all his hard work refusing to flourish in the rebellious experiment. Ludwig and Gilbert had been so easy to control. But their AIs had been so much more advanced, and so much simpler to keep leashed to the doctor. _

"_You're a nuisance," the Austrian growled, returning to his charts. The easiest way to coax Arthur into being agreeable was usually to ignore him. The blond hated not having the doctor's attention for some unknown reason. It was like a child tugging at the pant leg of a parent, begging to be noticed. _

_Within a few moments of pen scratching and little mumblings, Roderich felt Arthur standing next to him. His silent steps were the only proof that despite his distasteful knack for humanity, Arthur was still his test subject. _

"_Doctor?"_

_Roderich sighed in exasperation, despite his inner triumph. It took all his will not to smugly grin back at the younger. _

"_What do you want, child?"_

"_We can do the tests again. It didn't hurt that much."_

"_Oh? Good, let's get you strapped in then," Roderich quipped, nudging Arthur back towards the testing room. The experiment went willingly, but there was a begrudged, dreaded shuffle to his usually graceful walk. The doctor took no notice._

_Crossing the threshold from the data room to the testing chamber was like stepping into a whole other world. They each had their own kind of chaos - things strewn about, items in stacks, flickering lights and screens, only they were very different. The data room was plagued by stacks of paper scattered across desks, while the testing chamber was lined by cords of wires and vice machines. Scalpels, vials and electrodes were laid out on trays, all neatly washed and still glittering with stray droplets. Monitoring machines were hooked to a myriad of cords, and Roderich led Arthur to some surrounding a table. _

"_Strip," he commanded. The emerald-eyed experiment furrowed his brows, but began to unbutton his shirt after shrugging off the black suit jacket. Why Arthur always insisted upon wearing that ridiculous getup baffled the doctor. But Arthur's usual justification was that all the other agents got to wear neatly tailored suits, so why couldn't he?_

_When Roderich tried to explain that Arthur wasn't an agent, but an experiment, Arthur adamantly defied him. He was a real agent. He worked with partners, discovered intel on foreign threats, and had his own desk in the upper floors of their building. Just because he had to come down here and dealt with the doctor didn't invalidate that he was a CIA agent. _

_The doctor watched as the younger removed his pants, exposing the lithe, but powerful muscles of his legs. His fine hips were wide for a man's, but perfect for an Omega's. That was another detail that frustrated Roderich. The stupid Americans had given him an Omega to work with. His experiments needed to have stronger bodies - that of Alphas or Betas - that didn't grow weak and strained under a monthly heat. Pregnancy was also an issue, seeing as Arthur could be quite promiscuous when left unattended. The Austrian didn't have time to be dealing with such nonsense, and made sure to have the blond force down the new, widely available oral contraceptives as frequently as the dosage allowed. _

_He motioned for Arthur to lay on the table, and was pleased to find obedience in its rare form with the blond. _

_Arthur was used to this though. He resigned to it really, and lay on his back. Eyes closed, he tried to relax as the doctor bound his wrists by his side, and buckled the straps across his chest and legs. The tightening of the rough leather made his skin crawl, but it couldn't be avoided. The doctor needed his results, and that was that. _

_Roderich brushed back his shaggy hair from his temple, exposing a small, almost unnoticeable port to attach an electrode to. Hearing it click into place, he did the same to the other side, and patted Arthur's arm._

"_Ready?"_

"_I suppose," Arthur affirmed, peaking an eye open. "What are you testing though?"_

"_I need to find exactly where your nervous system is overriding the celerium boards and allowing you to feel pain. I'll use electricity to track it."_

_Arthur swallowed nervously at the mention of electricity. The harmless stuff that powered his TV and light bulbs was also one of the doctor's favorite subjects. It was also his favorite when testing Arthur's circuit systems in action. _

"_Of course," he murmured after a moment, noticing Roderich had an expectant look on his face with a cocked brow. The doctor gave a nod before putting a much thicker strip of leather in the younger's mouth. Deep gouges were imprinted from where Arthur had bitten down on it before. _

_Walking about, Roderich set up all his papers, and warmed up the powerful machine that would be delivering the shocks to his experiment's body. The thick rods were familiar to Arthur, but that didn't sooth his racing heartbeat either. _

"_We'll start small, and see if anything changes as we increase the voltage."_

_The cold, simple way he explained was familiar as well. It was the same tone he used to talk about how the refrigerator at work sometimes didn't cool properly, or how the radio had a static echo - like Arthur was just another machine. _

_A few moments later - Arthur having squeezed his eyes shut - he felt the first zing of the electricity shooting up from his thigh, and winced. It wasn't a horrible start, and Roderich set the rods down to examine the sheet of paper being printed from the machine to check the readings of his body's systems versus the celerium components in his brain. _

_Arthur's heart dropped when Roderich frowned, and set the paper aside._

"_That's hardly conclusive," he grumbled, and picked up the rods again. This time, he increased the machine's power. _

_Another shock, and Arthur whimpered as the burning pain seared his leg. Roderich diagnosed it as unviable yet again._

_A stronger shock, and the experiment had to tightly clench his jaw, biting hard into the leather. The straps kept him from thrashing, but he writhed weakly. _

_It happened again and again, Roderich growing frustrated that the machine could not properly align exactly where the problem was. More and more electricity was applied, and Arthur screamed and bucked in pain. His eyes rolled back, his body wracked with wild spasms. He cried out, but did not ask Roderich to stop. He knew better - knew his place. The doctor needed his results, that was final. _

_He only ceased when Arthur was a sobbing mess on the table, sweat pouring down his body, and blood frothing against the band clenched in his teeth where the leather had cut into the sides of his mouth. The Omega shook, but did not move when the doctor released the straps holding him down. He was too weakened to, having been forced into still submission by the intense pain. The smell of burning flesh lingered in his senses: burn patches where the rods had been held on his skin too long marred his thighs. The only redeeming thing was that they wouldn't scar. Arthur's highly regenerative skin would see to that. _

_The doctor watched the way his subject's eyes didn't track as he moved away to fetch a glass of water. Returning, Arthur was still where he'd left him, the only sign he was alive was by his shuddering breathing. _

_Splashing the cold water across his face, the Omega startled with a scream. He suddenly curled in on himself, and Roderich sighed. More tears trickled down the blond's cheeks, sending a guilty pang through the doctor's heart. He really missed Ludwig and Gilbert. This never happened with them. _

_Gently touching his experiment's side, he didn't shy away when Arthur flinched. _

"_We're done for today, Arthur. Why don't you get some sleep?"_

_When Arthur didn't respond, the doctor shook his head and moved away. He returned with another small cup of water, and held it out to Arthur._

"_Drink. You'll feel better."_

_The Omega looked up at him, but gingerly accepted the cup. His shaking hands tried to hold it steady to his lips, but the doctor had to help him so he could drink without spilling. Roderich combed back Arthur's sweat dampened hair. _

"_I'll have one of my assistants drive you home. You aren't well enough to be behind the wheel."_

"_I-I'm fine," Arthur insisted, struggling to lift himself from the table. _

"_Don't disobey."_

"_Fuck off," the Omega growled, weakly collapsing back to the cold steel. _

_Roderich ignored the insult, and went to where Arthur had discarded his black trousers. He fished out the man's keys and wallet before folding up the articles of his suit. He could see his subject briefly attempting to rise again, and failing miserably if the sharp thump of his body hitting the table again was any indicator. _

_He paged for an assistant, who promptly arrived. The young man glanced at the struggling Omega, and Roderich nodded. He handed the man Arthur's keys and wallet with a huff._

"_Again, sir?" the assistant asked as he gathered Arthur's things in a case he'd brought with him. _

"_He's too weak."_

"_He's a prime subject - intelligent, resilient, and trained for your purposes," the man reminded the doctor, who sneered in response._

"_I know that. But he is imperfect - not like my other two."_

"_Those models have since been destroyed, sir. No sense wallowing in the past, sir."_

"_Just shut up and take him, will you! And don't just leave him on the doorstep this time! At least put him in his own apartment. He caught a nasty cold from the rain last time. I couldn't test him for nearly a weak!"_

"_My apologies, doctor." The man then approached the table, and draped a thin, sterile sheet over the Omega. Arthur had passed out after hitting his head on the table a third time in his vain attempt to get back up._

_Roderich helped the assistant out to the parking lot where Arthur's sleek, red Pontiac sat. Loading the Omega into it, and his assistant driving off, the doctor listened to the engine's fierce growl die away before returning inside to ponder more tests._

_The last thing Arthur remembered before the flash of memory faded out was groggily waking to the world rushing by outside his car windows, and wondering just why he was being dragged home yet again._

* * *

"Doctor Roderich Edelstein," Arthur breathed in realization as reality came back to him.

The violet-eyed man smiled softly, his graying-brunet hair framing his face in a way that brought Arthur comfort. He knew this man, and something about him made Arthur wish he could remember exactly where he'd developed that fondness.

"I'm glad you remember me, Arthur. I haven't seen you in a very long time. But you haven't changed. You still look as young as ever."

"You aged," Arthur observed with a cautious tone. He'd recalled the doctor with sleek, auburn hair and smooth skin. Now he showed smile lines around his mouth, and the fine, crinkled lines beside his eyes. But his eyes themselves had not changed - they were still brimming with calculating intelligence.

"That happens, despite our best intentions."

"You were older than me... how are you alive?"

"The same way you are."

"You told me you were human," Arthur said, eyes wide.

"I was. For quite some time, actually. But things change, and now I am like my experiments - only superior."

"Superior?" Arthur growled back. "Sounds like the Nazi in you coming out again."

Roderich didn't seem amused in the slightest. He merely scoffed though, pivoting on his heel to walk away.

"That was a very long time ago, my friend. It's a new age - and it's a glorious one."

"You don't get out much then. The world is in shambles in case you haven't noticed."

"To you it is, with your limited human vision. But to a man like me, it's a fresh start. And I'd like to be a part of it. As flawed as you are, you are still one of my creations. But we can talk of this later. At least when you get some pants on."

"What...?" Arthur breathed in disbelief, but accepted a pair of trousers when the first figure stepped into the light, handing them to him. The man was quite tall, and his body was built with thick muscles and broad shoulders. His startling cerulean eyes were cold though, and Arthur knew they weren't human.

"Are you Ludwig?" Arthur asked as he stepped into the slacks, and buttoned them up.

"I am."

"So your friend over there must be Gilbert, am I right?" Arthur asked, remembering both names vividly. Another figure beside Roderich with burning crimson eyes smirked and nodded in affirmation. Ludwig simply stepped back, expression like ice.

"Doctor, I don't know what you did to get them back, but I want no part of it."

"We've been watching, Arthur. You'd really prefer to squander your life away with a bunch of barbaric survivors?"

"They're my team. They need me."

"Let them go, Arthur. You always had such difficulty with detaching your emotions."

"Must be the human in me," Arthur quipped with a smirk.

The Austrian's lip curled back in a sneer, but he had no retort for Arthur. That had always been the problem with the emerald-eyed Omega. No matter how many pieces and parts he'd stripped him of in an attempt to perfect his AI, that instinct was too deeply ingrained in him. Arthur would never be the perfection Ludwig and Gilbert were.

"Very well. We will continue our observations, in case you have a change of heart. Until then, you may stew in this cage like a lowly animal."

"Wait! You can't just leave me here!"

"You want nothing to do with us. Until that changes, you are just another pawn. Pawns aren't to be rescued. They are meant to be sacrificed."

"Don't play that game with me, Roderich! At least get me out!"

"One day, you'll see the error of your ways, little Omega."

"Goddamn it! Come back!" Furrowing his brows, Arthur watched as the three turned away, a strange, inhuman unison to their movements, and vanished into the shadows of the filthy room.

Arthur slumped back to the ground, feeling his head began to throb in pain. It was like he'd seen a ghost, and the apparition was very unwelcome. But without a full memory to pull from, Arthur was at a loss of what to do. All he knew was that all three of them should no longer be alive. That memory was too old for anyone to be alive.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Arthur tipped his head back against the bars, and waited. What else could he do now?

* * *

"Pacing isn't going to solve anything," Ivan said, giving the frantic Alpha a confused look.

"Helps me think," Alfred explained, fretting more than ever. Ivan simply sighed, and leaned back on the concrete wall. They'd been trapped in here for nearly a day, and as the hours ticked by, Alfred grew more and more restless. The young Alpha was a mess worrying over Arthur. Not that Ivan wasn't, but he was much better at staying composed.

"Do you think he's alright?" Alfred asked for what had to be the hundredth time.

"I don't know," Ivan retorted, probably for the hundredth time as well.

"But we have to do something!" the younger Alpha whirled on Ivan, looking as if he might burst into tears at any moment. Ivan was actually taken aback by the raw emotion in his bright eyes.

"Relax, Alfred. It's going to be taken care of," Ivan assured, coaxing him to sit before the larger man. Alfred wrung his hands, but did seem to calm some by sitting, and having a chance to gather his thoughts.

"What do you mean?"

"CDC thugs aren't the brightest. They never had the kind of training real agents like ourselves do. We'll figure something out. There may be more of them, but we are better."

"What about Arthur?"

"I have no idea where he is being held, but not here with the rest of us," Ivan said, motioning to the other cells all around. CIA agents were filling most of them, two or three to a small cell. A variety of wounds marked them. Some more severe than others, but the vast majority were no more life threatening than bad bruising and shallow cuts. After seeing Arthur be seized, Ivan had taken the initiative to surrender them quickly. There was no point in getting killed when the target had been to capture, not destroy.

"We can't leave without him," Alfred pleaded, afraid of that collected tone in Ivan's voice. Alfred was a mess over this, worrying over the Omega after having been violently ripped from him. He was sure he was hurt, and probably alone. It just didn't sit well with Alfred.

"I would never. I will die before I leave Arthur to these wolves," Ivan vowed.

"Ivan!" Tino's voice called from a cell just across the hall from Ivan and Alfred's. The two Alphas looked to the slight Beta. He was cut on his cheek, but other than that, was unscathed. Physically, at least. Emotionally, he looked more distraught than Alfred felt.

"Ivan, I'm so worried about Berwald. They took him away when they were putting us in here. He's so ill," Tino simpered, biting at his nails.

The violet-eyed Alpha sighed softly to himself. He didn't want to admit to Tino that Berwald's fate was likely an awful one. This was the CDC after all. They didn't earn their name by not examining, poking and prodding at every ill human they could get their hands on after the fallout. Berwald was likely their newest dissection by now. But telling Tino that would crush the Beta beyond recovering. Even for a mated pair, their bond was much stronger than most Ivan had seen. And ever since the big Alpha's illness, they'd only become that much more dependent on each other.

"He'll be alright, Tino," Ivan lied, "he's strong, and so are you."

Just as Tino bit his lip, and made to reply, a warning siren began to blare. The high-pitched wail wasn't any kind of fire alarm, but the sinister sound chilled Alfred to the core. The nervous shuffling from around the cages set the young Alpha on edge, as if the others knew exactly what this meant.

"Contamination alarm," Ivan announced, brows furrowed. "This should be interesting..."

* * *

**Woah~ plot thickens~ and what's up with Berwald, eh? Stay tuned!**


End file.
